Phoenix - The Struggles Within
by Ace's Phoenix
Summary: Phoenix's Terra is destroyed by Master Cyclonis. She sets out for revenge. Falling for Aerrow of the Storm Hawks, she sticks around until she decides to go to Cyclonia to infiltrate and destroy...That was the original plan, at least.
1. Birthday Part one

__**Hi there! I came up with this concept for a story a few years ago, and only just started writing it within the past year or so. It starts off a bit boring, and might be a little cheesy in some parts, but I hope you like it. Some chapters will be shorter than others and whatnot, just until I get the hang of this website :) well, read and review, guys. Don't be too mean :)**

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_Phoenix: The Struggles Within._

My name is Phoenix Emeraldia. I am named after my home terra - not my first name obviously, my last name - Terra Emeraldia, the home of Energy Casters. Well, at least it was a few hundred years ago. There hasn't been a single person born with the gift in generations. Until me. Yeah, I'm an Energy Caster. I'm not sure where the power comes from exactly, but I do know that I don't need crystals like everybody else. I'm not going to say, 'This is how it all started', or 'Once upon a time'. I'm simply going to tell my story the best way possible.

CHAPTER ONE

Sky Journal, Day 90.

It's now been two months since I joined the Storm Hawks as an official member, Three months since my home was destroyed. Aerrow is still trying to convince me we should be together. Why won't he just quit already? It's too dangerous at the moment. Maybe one day.

Signing off for now, Phoenix.

I finish my journal entry and put it back under my pillow just as Aerrow walks into my room.

"Oh, hey, what are you doing here?" I ask him. He looks worn out.

"I was just seeing if you were awake yet, we'll be setting off in about an hour, so if you need any supplies from this terra you should go now".

He sounds just as worn out as he looks; I get up and walk over to him.

"I've got everything I needed, just a few crystals and clothes" I say, and then continue "You look terrible, are you ok?"

Aerrow smiles and replies "I'm fine, just had some complications with the freezer, I was up all night trying to repair it".

I roll my eyes at him. "You know you could have just come and woken me up, right? I could have had it working in a second"

He chuckles slightly and nudges my shoulder. Before turning around and heading out the door he says "ok, I was lying, the freezer didn't break, but you should meet me in the hanger after your shower". With that he heads down the corridor to the bridge.

Damn fool, I think to myself, what is he up to now?

I gather up my clothes and head to the bathroom.

Once there I turn the shower on and wait for it to heat up. I wait for ten minutes but the water just stays a very mild lukewarm temperature. Finn, I think to myself, always using the hot water up, I'm going to get him for this.

I use my casting energy to heat the running water to a comfortable temperature and get in.

I put on my clothes. I have decided to wear a light blue dress that falls to my knees. I wipe the steam off the mirror and gaze at myself. Big, emerald green eyes stare back. My skin is quite pale, even though I go outside quite a bit. Looking over my features, I come across the scar on the right side of my neck. A painless reminder of a painful memory. I shudder as the not-so-distant memory leaks into my mind. Unconsciously, my hand reaches up and touches the scar. My index finger traces it, all the way from my shoulder to under my jaw.

I force all thoughts out of my head and leave the bathroom.


	2. Birthday Part two

Chapter 2

Walking into the kitchen to get some breakfast, I see Finn sitting at the table.

"Morning" Fin mumbles through a mouth full of porridge.

"That's gross, Finn." I say making a face at him.

At the kitchen counter, I pour myself some cereal and sit down at the table opposite to him.

"I'm going to get a juice, want one?" he asks with yet another mouthful of porridge.

"Yes please" I reply.

When he gets up and has his back turned, I sneakily reach out my hand to touch his bowl of porridge. With one touch of my finger-tip I make the contents of his bowl cold, as if it has been in the fridge all day.

I sit back up straight and smile to myself that'll show him.

Finn sits down again and hands me a glass of juice "Thanks" I say, smiling sweetly at him.

"No worries" he replies, as he scoops up some porridge on his spoon.

As the spoon reaches his mouth I suppress a chuckle, any second now.

He spits cold porridge all over the table, and I laugh at him.

"Aw come on Phoenix, that's not funny" he says with a pout.

"Neither are cold showers, serves you right".

I quickly finish my bowl of cereal and start walking to the hanger, Finn starts walking with me.

"Finn, why are you following me?" I ask him, with one eyebrow raised.

"I'm not following you, I'm just going to the...er hanger, to er, polish my ride." he gives me an unconvincing grin.

I know he is covering something up. "Finn what's going on? I swear to god if there is anything wrong with my skimmer I will never, ever ev-

Before I can finish threatening Finn, there is a pair of hands covering my eyes. "What the!?" I yell, startled.

"Calm down" comes a soft voice from behind me, "It's just me".

"Aerrow? What are you doing?"

"I've got a surprise for you, keep your eyes shut" he says. I detect a smile in his words.

"You know I don't like surprises, Aerrow, Just tell me" I complain.

"Just keep your eyes shut, ok?

"Fine"

He takes his hands off my eyes, grabs my hand and guides me to the hanger. He lets go of my hand and says, "Wait here and don't open your eyes"

I can hear the large hanger door being opened and I feel the light on my eyelids, I have to scrunch them up to keep them from opening.

I can also hear Aerrow whispering, but can't make out what he is saying.

He walks back up to my side and grabs my hand again and starts to lead me into the hanger some more.

"Ok, just wait there for a second Phoenix", I hear the smile in his words.

"If this is some sort of prank, I will make you regret it forever!" I threaten. I am starting to feel a little frustrated when Aerrow says I can open my eyes. Just as my eyes open there is a loud noise and people are shouting "SURPRISE!"

"What's this?" I ask confused.

"It's your surprise birthday party" Aerrow replies, a big smile on his face

"My birthday?" it takes a second or two for me to remember that it actually is my birthday, "I forgot completely, I've been so busy! Thanks guys".

In the middle of the landing strip is a long table. I walk over and see that the cake is a miniature replica of my skimmer.

Everyone else walks up to me and says happy birthday, in turns giving me a gift. Piper gives me some crystals, Finn gives me a cover for my skimmer, while Junko has upgraded the engine on it, and Stork gives me a can of mind worm repellent, along with some strange contraption that gives off a horrible smell and apparently is for repelling some other weird creature.

When the celebration ends we clean up and each head to different sections of the Condor; Stork to the helm, Finn to his room, Piper also to the helm to do some mapping, Junko stays in the hanger and I go to my room to relax.


	3. The Conversation

Chapter Three

Not five minutes after I have kicked off my shoes, changed my clothes and lay down on my bed, Aerrow walks in.

"You Know, you should really start knocking before just walking in" I say, slightly annoyed.

Pretending not to hear me, Aerrow comes and sits on the end of my bed.

"You'll get used to it" he says jokingly, then looks me in the eyes.

Great, I think to myself. I know where this is heading and the conversation hasn't even started.

"Aerrow, what are you doing here?" I ask, knowing the answer to my own question.

"We need to talk, Phoenix, that's all" he replies with a certain look in his eye.

I cringe inside; I do not want to have this conversation again.

"Aerrow, please, you know what is going to be said, so just stop right there" I plead. I cannot risk getting close to someone and then having them torn away from me, not again, not after what had happened with Dante.

"Phoenix, just hear me out", Aerrow says, breaking my chain of thought.

"Ok, Aerrow, speak" I Mutter a little petulantly.

I sit up, lean against my bed head and pull my knees close to my chest, trying to get comfortable. I can tell this will be a long conversation.

"Phoenix, It's been months now, and", he pauses for a moment, then continues, "Cyclonis hasn't made a move so far, I think she may have lost interest".

I remain silent for a few seconds before responding, "She wouldn't have lost interest, she's waiting for the next best time to attack. Even being in the same vicinity as you and the others is a great risk. I'm sure she already knows I'm a member of the Storm Hawks, that last battle we fought together was too obvious, The Dark Ace would have run off and told her, first chance he got. We have to stay on guard until Cyclonia is brought down."

Aerrow sits in silence, taking in my words. I observe his features; his olive green eyes, his burgundy-red hair falling about his face as his head leans to the side.

"We can't go there, Aerrow, it's just not safe, do you know what could happen? Cyclonis will stop at nothing until I join her or I'm dead. I don't want anything happening to you or the others," I say after a few moments silence.

Aerrow reaches out and grabs my hand. I try to pull mine away but his grip is firm, the desire in his eyes is growing by the second. I look away, trying not to get caught in his burning gaze.

"Phoenix, I can't do this anymore, please, just give us a chance, if it doesn't work out then it doesn't work out, we're responsible adults. I know you want it as much as I do. How can you keep doing this to yourself?" he waits for me to reply, but I don't, so he goes on, "Just one chance, that's all I'm asking, you can't keep pushing people away. I know you're scared because of what happened. I know what it's like to lose someone close to you. I do know Phoenix. I know it hurts, but that isn't a reason to not get close to anyone, it's not a reason to not get attached, to have friends, to be happy… to have what you want"

I hold my breath for a moment before exhaling audibly. He has a point, but I can't let go of the past. How can I possibly just live a carefree life with Cyclonis chasing after me - wanting me dead because I won't join her in her campaign to control all of Atmos - willing to destroy everyone associated with me?

"Aerrow, my entire family, friends, everyone who lived on Terra Emeraldia, they're all gone, destroyed in front of my very eyes, I can't just get over it at the click of my fingers, I know it will get easier to cope with over time, but the guilt will always be there. I was supposed to be their Sky Knight but I failed them all. How can I get on with my life now? Hearing their terrified screams as the flames engulfed them in the streets, their homes, everywhere. Watching them panic, burn; die while I'm completely helpless to save them, the fear in their eyes, children crying for their mothers." I look into Aerrow's eyes, mine starting to tear up. "Tell me Aerrow, tell me how I can just pretend it never happened, pretend I never seen children struck down in front of me, never seen families burning in their homes, feeling the panic, smelling the stench of fear, seeing Cyclonis smile with delight at the demise of so many innocent people. TELL ME AERROW!"

Too many emotions are running through my mind; guilt, anger, confusion, sadness. I can feel something warm in my hand, it keeps getting hotter, and I don't realize what it is until I hear Aerrow gasp in pain. My casting energy flared up with the outburst, and forgetting Aerrow has been holding my hand, started to burn him.

"Phoenix, calm down." I see him clutching his burnt hand to his chest.

"Oh! I am so sorry. I didn't mean to. Aerrow, I'm really sorry, how bad is it?" I jump off my bed to where Aerrow is standing and reach out to see his hand.

"It's ok, it really doesn't hurt that bad," he says. As I take hold of his hand, he winces in pain.

"Oh Aerrow I really didn't mean to do that, I forgot you were even holding my hand, I'm so sorry" I keep apologizing.

We sit down on my bed and I gingerly take his hand and cup it in mine.

"Here, this should help", I say," Stay still".

I use my casting energy to cool his hand down, trying to lessen the pain.

"That's better, thanks", he says and goes to get up.

"I'm not finished yet" I say gently. I take his hand again. There is a faint purple glow around his injury, which starts to get deeper in color as the redness fades. A few seconds later his burn is completely gone.

"Aerrow, I'm so sorry, I feel terrible" I apologize once more.

"It's ok, you don't have to keep apologizing, Phoenix, it was an accident", he replies with a gentle smile, "you opened up, it's good to let it out, keeping things like that bottled up isn't healthy".

"I guess you're right, but I should've kept control, I could have really hurt you just then," I say looking down at my feet. Aerrow is right, it is good to let it all out, and I have been keeping it bottled up for too long.

"Do you want me to go?" he asks tentatively.

"Actually, I think we should have this conversation" I mutter quietly.

"Are you sure?" He asks awkwardly, an unsure expression on his face.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I pause, and then go on, "You're right Aerrow, I don't know how I can keep doing this to myself, it is painful, but that's what I'm used to, it's all I've been used to for far too long."


	4. You're Glowing?

Chapter Four

He stares at me intently, his eye searching mine. "Are you saying yes?"

"Let me finish, Aerrow" I murmur, holding my finger to his lips to quiet him, his lips... They're so soft. I shake my head to rid the thought before continuing, "I've taken in everything you have said and... And, I think we could maybe give us a chance, but we have to be careful about who knows."

Aerrow's face lights up again, a smile spreading across it. "So you are saying yes!" He states triumphantly.

"I guess I am. But we really do need to take care and only tell people on a 'need-to-know' basis, ok?" I reply.

The expression that is on Aerrow's face could light up an entire city. He stands up, taking me with him, squeezing me in a bear hug.

"Thank-you" he whispers in my ear.

Not saying anything in return, I hug him back. He lets go after a moment, he lets go and we both sit back down. I am happy, yet unsure of this decision, I have what I have wanted for a long time, but I am uncertain of how long we can keep it a secret.

"We should take this as slowly as possible, but we'll have to tell the others eventually" I say, a small smile spreading across my lips. I know this is what I want, I am happy. Very happy. I haven't been this happy in so long. It feels good. The feeling keeps building up; I can feel it literally radiating from me.

"Um, Phoenix, what are you doing?" asks Aerrow, he sounds concerned for some reason.

"What do you mean?" I reply, then I see an aura-like glow around me that is light blue with flecks of red though it, "Oh!" I am perplexed; My Casting Energy hasn't done this in a very long time.

"You're glowing Phoenix, why are you glowing?" Aerrow sounds slightly worried now.

"Oh. I forgot, Energy Casters, if they haven't completely learnt how to control their powers, when feeling intense emotions, an aura-like glow will normally surround them. I guess that's what's happening now," I laugh a little, and Aerrow relaxes.

"Wow, that's kind of beautiful, why would anyone want to control it so completely?" he asks amazed.

"I don't know, maybe because Energy Casting is an extremely rare power to have, and if we couldn't control it properly, it may frighten people or we would get shunned for being so different and rare" I reply. Aerrow is admiring the energy surrounding me, as am I. It is beautiful; I have never had these colors surround me before.

At that moment, I hear the static of the intercom, then Stork's voice saying "Ok vermin, we're leaving now", there is another few seconds of static then silence.

"Why is he always so pessimistic? I know he's from Merbia, but is there really a need to be so...I don't know...neurotic?" I say with a slight laugh in my words.

Aerrow just rolls his eyes and laughs it off

"I have no idea, I guess it just stuck with him. He never really got over the fact that the whole Atmos isn't like Merbia" He replies, then smiles at me, "I'm hungry, want anything for lunch?"

"Hungry already? We had quite a feast at the party, I'm still stuffed" I laugh. Aerrow stands up and grabs my hand, pulling me up off the bed. He looks deep into my eyes, the happiness resonating from them is intoxicating. I can't help but smile at him, my glowing aura still visible, engulfing both of us as we stand close together.

"Alright, let's go to the kitchen, everyone else might think something's up if we don't leave my room soon" I say jokingly.

"Good idea" agrees Aerrow.

Trying hard to control my energy, the aura that is resonating from me slowly dissipates into a faint glow, and then disappears.

"Why are you doing that?" asks Aerrow, "I think it looks amazing, you shouldn't hide it".

"I don't want to but I also don't want the others being suspicious about anything, especially Piper, she's not dumb, she'll know what's going on, I just have to keep it under control until we can tell them." I reply.

"That's a good point I guess" He says.

All of a sudden I feel a brush of hair on my face and lips on my cheek, before I can register that Aerrow has kissed me he is already standing straight again and is saying "Let's go".

I blush slightly and follow him down the corridor to the kitchen.


	5. Just Polishing My Skimmer

Chapter Five

In the kitchen Finn is having some sort of competition with Junko, seeing who can stuff more food into their face or something like that. Piper is sitting at the table reading a book; I decide to go sit with her.

"Oh hi Phoenix" she beams up at me.

"Hey Piper" I reply, returning her smile, "Thanks for the crystals, I love them."

"No problem, I'm glad there's someone else here that understands my interest for them", she smiles and scowls around at the boys playfully. Aerrow comes and sits down opposite us and starts eating the sandwich he made.

"There's an uncharted terra, just a few hours away," Piper states, "Aerrow, you and Finn can do recon before we decide to stay there for the night".

I look up and see an annoyed expression on Finn's face "Aw c'mon, I went last time, why can't someone else do it?" he complains.

"Phoenix can come with me," Aerrow suggests, "that's if you don't mind doing recon, Phoenix".

Of course, that wasn't suspicious at all! I think to myself. "No, I don't mind," I smile sweetly, "Any chance to ride my Skimmer, test out the upgrades".

"Great!" Aerrow says with a smile.

"Sweet!" I hear Finn say in the background.

A few hours? Let the boredom begin, I think. I look over to see Finn and Junko have finished their face stuffing competition, and are now playing another boyish game. Aerrow has gotten up and walked back into the kitchen to wash up his plate, and Piper is heading to the Helm to do some mapping in peace.

Everyone is occupied with something or rather; I don't have anything to do, unless I want to clean my room again. I decide to go and polish my skimmer. Standing up to head off to the Hanger Aerrow asks where I am going.

"I'm going to polish my ride, and prepare for recon" I feign boredom.

I head down the corridor to the hanger, where my skimmer is parked; collecting dust. It has been a few weeks since I have taken it for a fly, I feel bad about it, like when you forget to feed your pet or something.

I walk over to where it stands motionless. Taking the cover off it, I run my hand over the seat, the handlebars, the front wheel guard, caressing my Ride as if it were a loved family pet. I remember the time where it was the only thing that I had when there was nothing. Walking over to the cabinet where the cleaning products are, I grab a shammy cloth a bottle of polish. Pouring some of the product onto the cloth, I start the polishing process. I cannot believe that some people looked at taking care of their Skimmers as a chore. For me it is anything but. It feels like bonding to me; the feeling of the metal under my fingertips, feeling the curves and bends in the shape, the rubber on the tires. Everything about my Skimmer makes me feel at home.

I finish polishing my ride and rinse out the cloth. Hanging it up to dry, I walk back over to my skimmer and sit down in the seat. The rumble of the Condor's engine is much louder in the hanger than in other parts of the ship. The sound is somewhat soothing, so I lean back in my seat and relax, My hands behind my head and my feet propped up on the handlebars; I get comfortable and close my eyes.


	6. Flashback 1

Chapter Six

I am flying as fast as my skimmer will allow me to go, the wind, roaring loud in my ears. My long black hair is whipping about my face and tears run down my cheeks as I flee the charred remains of my home; Terra Emeraldia.

_Just when I assume Cyclonis has given up trying to convince me to join her forces. Just when I think she is satisfied after murdering my family. Just as I was starting to cope with their deaths, She comes back to destroy the only things I hold dear; My Terra, and my best friend, Dante._

_I yell his name into the wind, trying to see through my tears, "why?" I sob. Why do I have to be cursed with such power? Being the only Energy Caster alive in centuries and Cyclonis just has to find out. It was stupid to think that she would not come after me; I was stupid to see her threats as empty words._

_I was supposed to be their Sky Knight and I failed them all. Every woman, every man, every child and every animal that lived on my Terra._

_"I don't deserve to be a Sky knight!" I yell at myself. I am tired and exhausted. Flying over Terra Blizaress, I make the decision to stop here for the night. Taking my skimmer down, I am only flying a few meters above the snowy ground._

_I'll get you, Cyclonis, I will get my revenge, and when I do I'-_

_At that moment, interrupting my chain of thought, I hear an air-ship coming up behind me, probably flying about twenty meters higher than I am. I turn my head for a second, hoping to catch a glimpse of it. I cannot see much at this angle. Still flying extremely fast, I chance another look, and see it is The Condor, the Storm Hawks' Ship._

_For the second or two that I have been looking away, I didn't notice that there is a mound in front of me. At the speed I'm travelling, by the time I noticed the mound, it is too late. It seems like it all happens in slow motion. The nose of my skimmer makes impact. I manage to hang on while it is flipping and spinning through the air, but the next second I feel something smack up side my head, my body on the cold ground, then darkness._

_I don't know how long I have been out but when I start to stir I hear people around me._

_"Is she ok?" I hear a voice ask._

_"Look, she's waking up" I hear another voice, this one, sounds strangely familiar. I manage to open my eyes a bit and see people staring down at me._

"_What happened?" My voice is hoarse._

_"You had a Fair spill back there" I hear a reply._

_I go to stand up and feel a pair of arms under me, lifting me to my feet. "Thanks" I mumble, feeling fuzzy headed. I brush myself off and try to look as composed as I can. Still disoriented, I have no idea who the people standing around me are. I rub my eyes, and finally they begin to come back into focus._

_"Phoenix, are you alright?" I hear the same voice, and realize who it is._

_"Aerrow! I- What- How-?" All I can do is stumble over my words; I haven't seen Aerrow or the rest of the Storm Hawks in weeks._

_"Don't try to talk, just relax, you hit your head pretty bad" Aerrow says gently._

_As he says that, I feel a sharp pain in my head. Raising my hand to where the pain is I feel a lump of a fair size. _

_"Ouch" I say quietly. I must have come off my skimmer hard. "Oh no, my skimmer! Where is it? Is it ok?" I'm panicking; I cannot lose my only means of transport._

_"Don't worry about your skimmer, it will be fine" Aerrow says, trying to calm me down._

_"What do you mean it will be?" I ask, panic rising._

_"I mean, Junko has it in the Condor, He's repairing the damage. When he's done with it, it will look good as new"._

_These words calm me down greatly. I can't bear to lose anything else. When that thought crosses my mind, I realize my eyes are still wet from the tears. Hanging my head down I try to wipe my eyes dry, but it is apparent that I have been crying. Aerrow would have noticed._

_"Let's get you back to the condor, it's freezing out here" Comes Piper's voice from beside me. I didn't even notice that it is cold until Piper said it. I start to shiver involuntarily._

_"Ok" is all I say. We all start walking back to the condor; Aerrow can see I am shivering. He takes off his jacket and tries to put it around my shoulders, but I shrug it off. The second time he tries, he keeps his arm around me so I can't shrug it off again. This time I can't protest anyway, the extra body heat is nice and I'm too exhausted to use my casting energy to heat myself up._

_When we get back to the Condor, Piper goes off to her lab, and Aerrow leads me to the kitchen, where he sits me down on the comfy diner-like seat._

_"Are you hungry?" He asks._

_"No, I ate just before I le- before I left", I stammer._

_"You sure?"_

_"Yes, I'm fine, thanks". It is quite warm inside, but I still have Aerrow's jacket on._

_"What are you doing all the way out here, Phoenix?" he asks._

_"Aerrow, something terrible has happened" I manage to choke out, as the sobbing starts._

_"What is it?" he asks, sounding worried._

_"Cyclonis" I say through clenched teeth," She came back last night"._

_"Phoenix what happened? What did she do?" Aerrow sounds more worried now. I can't hold the tears back any longer. Aerrow sees before I can wipe them away and quickly sits beside me and puts an arm around my shoulders "Phoenix, what's happened, we can help, just tell me what's going on"_

_"You can't help Aerrow, It's too late", I sob._

_"Phoenix, trust me, we can help"._

_"No you can't Aerrow!" I'm nearly shouting, "No-one can help, and it's far too late for anyone's help. They're gone, all of them, every single damn one!"_

_Aerrow puts both hands on my shoulders and looks me in the eyes "Phoenix, tell me what's going on" he pleads._

_"They're dead", I say through the tears, "She killed them all, Cyclonis killed everyone, she destroyed my Terra. She came in the dead of night, I was supposed to be on perimeter, but I decided to go for a walk by the forest. She had The Dark Ace hide in the forest, waiting for me to pass by. When he seen me, he grabbed me and threw me on the ground. Cyclonis used a pausing crystal so I couldn't move. I remember the Dark Ace said 'Don't worry girl, it will be over soon, and if you're lucky enough you'll serve with me under Master Cyclonis'. It's entirely my fault; I should have been doing my job properly. She won't stop until I've joined her, or I'm dead. I may as well join her, I'm as good as a murderer, and I don't deserve to be a Sky Knight. And you know what sort of crystal she used to destroy my terra? She used a Phoenix Crystal, Aerrow. A Phoenix Crystal" I finally break down in choking sobs._

_"Don't say that Phoenix, it's not your fault at all, how were you to know? Don't give her what she wants". Aerrow has gone pale in the face. He looks like he is trying to say something else but his mouth just hangs open in shock._

_"Aerrow, where were you these last few weeks?" I ask in a small voice, "You didn't contact me, you had a communication crystal, but you didn't contact me"._

_"I'm sorry, Phoenix, I had to get away, we were on assignment in Terra Deep." He replies quietly._

_"I shouldn't have pushed you away, I'm sorry. But with you being away so much, it just wouldn't have worked out between us, you know that Aerrow."_

_Aerrow remains silent for a moment. "Let's not talk about this right now, why don't you go have a shower and freshen up, then I'll fix you something to eat"._

_"I don't have any other clothes; all I have left is what I'm wearing." I say, my voice hoarse._

_"You can borrow some of Piper's; I'm sure she won't mind. Tomorrow we'll go to the market and buy you some new ones. Wait here; I'll go talk to her"_

_"Ok" is all I say. Aerrow stands up, walks out of the kitchen and heads to the lab. Left alone to my own thoughts, my mind starts racing a million miles an hour. What I should have done, what I could have done, what I didn't do. How could I have been so stupid? I should have constantly been on guard. How didn't I see The Dark Ace hiding amongst the trees? Why couldn't I break the hold of the pausing crystal? Why didn't I just join her the first time? Why didn't Cyclonis kill me when she had the perfect chance? Where was I going to go? Where am I going to live now?_

_I wipe the tears from my eyes as Aerrow walks back into the kitchen with Piper in tow. Piper is holding some folded clothes in her arms. She walks over to me and hands them over._

_"Here, these should fit" She says as I take them. She puts a hand on my shoulder, "I'm so sorry Phoenix". She bites her lip and walks away with her head bowed._

_"Thanks" I mutter, but she has already disappeared down the corridor. I go to stand up, but as I do, my knees give out and I collapse. Before I hit the floor, Aerrow has his arms around me and helps me back onto the seat as I start shaking. Aerrow sits down beside me and puts an arm around my shoulders._

_"I'm sorry I wasn't there, I shouldn't have abandoned you" He says quietly. I move into his arms a bit more, rest my head in the space between his head and shoulder and wrap my arms around his waist. He rests his chin on my head and squeezes me lightly._

_"Where did things go wrong? How did everything get so messed up so fast? We used to be inseparable Aerrow, What changed?" I say, choking on my words a little. Aerrow lets out an audible sigh before replying, "We grew up, that's all, we had different places to be, and mine just happened to be flying around Atmos."_

_I let a few tears escape before sitting upright again. I am exhausted to the point where I don't care if I fall asleep right here, I have been flying all night long, it has to be midday by now for sure._

_"What are you guys doing out here anyway? There's hardly anyone on this side of the Terra, it's pretty much deserted." I say after a minute's silence._

_"We needed some freezing crystals for the freezer" He replied, "You're lucky we were flying the same route as you. What are the chances there?"_

_"The Atmos must have known I needed you" I say absently "I wish I could bring them all back. I would gladly go in their place, I would do anything to bring them back Aerrow, anything. I'm not strong enough to go on anymore. I was only just starting to cope with my Parents' deaths, and then she had to tear everything else away from me. There's a weight in my chest that I feel will never lift."_

_I take a deep breath and look up at the ceiling to try and stop the tears from falling again. I feel so helpless right now, so insignificant._

_"It will get easier to deal with over time, but at the moment you have to stop blaming yourself, it wasn't your fault" says Aerrow._

_"It's easier said than done," I reply, "I think I might go for that shower now."_

_I shakily stand up with Aerrow's help and make my way to the bathroom, his arm around my waist so I won't collapse._

_"I'll wait out here, just in case, ok" he says._

_"You don't need to do that, I'll be fine" I reply, my voice quivering slightly._

_"Are you sure? You're not going to collapse again are you?" he asks concernedly._

_"Aerrow, really, I'm fine."_

_"Alright, I'll be just down the hall if you need me" he replies._

_I walk into the bathroom, put the clothes Piper has given me on the counter, walk over to the shower and turn it on. As I'm undressing, I notice I have a large scratch up the right side of my body that starts just below my hip and ends just under my shoulder blade. Luckily it isn't bleeding too badly. I finish undressing and get into the shower, the warm water stings my face and hands. I start to feel my knees going weak again. I sit down in the bottom of the shower. I feel like curling up and falling asleep right here on the floor. I pull my knees up to my chest and rest my chin on them. I start to think about Dante. My poor Dante, what worse fate could have been brought to you?, I think to myself, Dante, my last chance of happiness, burnt away with my Terra. You were made to suffer the longest because of our friendship. Tortured until you begged for your own death. Oh my beloved Dante, why must fate be so cruel to the innocent? I can only hope now that you rest in peace until we meet again._

_I start crying again, my dear friend, my best friend burning slowly in front of my eyes, screaming in agony, begging Cyclonis to end his life. His last words running through my head in a comical loop; Phoenix, I'm sorry. I love you. Please, I beg you, Cyclonis, KILL ME._

_The last look in his eyes was a combination of sincere apology, regret and pain. The image of his demise is scorched into my mind. There is nothing that could remove it. The water running from the shower mingles with my tears that are falling freely from my eyes. Flashing images of my Terra being burnt and destroyed. Suddenly I hear my name being called. Then it feels like I am being shaken. The shaking keeps getting stronger._


	7. Uncharted Terra

Chapter Seven

I awake to see Aerrow standing over me looking worried. My eyes feel wet, as if I have been crying.

"Phoenix, are you ok?" He asks.

"Aerrow, I..." my voice trails off.

"Phoenix, I heard you crying, you sounded distressed, I tried to wake you but you were hysterical. I thought something was really wrong" He says, his voice is shaky.

"I just had a nightmare, is all. I'm ok now I think" My throat is dry and my voice is hoarse.

"Were you having a flashback?" He asks tentatively.

"Yes" I say quietly. I wipe my eyes dry and stand up off my skimmer. "Sorry if I alarmed you, Aerrow, I wasn't expecting that to happen at all".

Aerrow takes a step closer to me and pulls me into a hug, trying to comfort me. "I tried waking you several times, you know. It took me almost twenty minutes to wake you properly".

I let out a sigh and step back from him "I'm just glad it's over, I wish that didn't happen, but it's out of my control. How long was I out?"

"A few hours" Replies Aerrow.

"Hours?" I say, shocked.

"Yeah, I came to see if you were finished polishing your skimmer, but you appeared to be asleep, so I didn't want to disturb you. I came back to check on you a few times, and you seemed fine. The last time I came to check on you, you were crying hysterically, like you were in physical pain. It was terrible". He says in a strained voice.

I look around and see Aerrow has his skimmer ready for recon. "Are we at our destination yet?" I ask.

"Nearly, According to Piper's map, we should be there in about half an hour" He replies, "Are you still up for doing recon?"

"Aerrow, I'm fine, I can't let a flashback stop me from doing anything" I say feigning a small smile. I walk over to the sink and turn on the tap. I splash my face with the cold water to wake myself up. I turn the tap off and lean on the sink, taking a deep breath. I hear Aerrow's Foot steps behind me then feel his arms wrapping around my waist. He kisses the top of my head before resting his chin on my shoulder.

"Aerrow, don't, what if someone sees?" I say as I remove his arms from around me.

"Oh, yeah, sorry" he replies with a sheepish grin. I turn around, stand up on my tip toes and swiftly kiss Aerrow on the cheek before walking out of the hanger to the helm.

Once there I see Piper leaning over a table with a compass, studying a large map. I walk over to where Stork is controlling the ship and look out the large window to see a small mass of land in the distance.

"Is that the Terra we're stopping at, Piper?" I ask, trying to sound interested.

"Uh, Yeah, that's the one," She replies, still engrossed in studying her maps. I go and sit down in one of the chairs around the table Piper was working at. I rest my head on my hand and let out a sigh.

"You ok, Phoenix?" asks Piper.

"Yeah."

Remembering the energy that had surrounded me earlier, I am curious to see if I can control it on different parts of my body so I raise my hand and concentrate on producing the energy from my finger-tip. I scrunch up my face in concentration and finally a faint green glow appears around my finger. "Yes!" I hiss.

"What?" Asks Piper Curiously.

"Look!" I say as I show her the glow around my finger, "Isn't that cool?".

"How are you doing that?" she asks interestedly.

"I don't know, I guess I'm finally learning to control it properly" I say happily. I concentrate some more and change the color from green to red. The more I concentrate the deeper the color becomes.

"Wow, that's amazing Phoenix" Piper says interestedly, "do you think you could produce projections or force fields?"

"I know it's possible, but I don't think I have that sort of control yet" I reply, trying to keep the aura strong, "I once read about an ancient Energy Caster who was able to produce an Illusionary Force field, He could make any illusion you could think of, For example, if there was a bird in the force field, he could make it appear to look like a Bog-Howler, to frighten away enemies."

"What was his name?" Piper asks, Intrigued.

"He went by many names, but his birth Name was Corvus Emeraldia." I replied.

"Emeraldia? Phoenix, you don't mean...?" Piper trails off.

"Yes, Corvus, along with a few others, including his wife, Alaudi, founded Terra Emeraldia. As far as I know I could well be his last descendant, but there's no proof of that, except the fact that I'm the first Energy Caster with roots to Emeraldia. It doesn't make much sense though, Energy casting is supposed to be genetic, but Corvus' children never had the power, or their children, or theirs. Neither of my parents had the power either. It could be possible that it skipped hundreds of generations, lying dormant in my ancestor's genes, until something brought it back to life in me. But I have no idea what it could be. If I am, in fact, a descendant of Corvus Emeraldia, then that could mean, I inherited all of his powers, including the ability to produce an Illusionary Force field." I finish intrigued by my own theory. Piper has a look of awe on her face.

"We could try looking in the Hall of Records in Atmosia; they have records of everything from the last Millennium or so." She says, a look of concentration on her face.

"How come I never thought of that?" I laugh. I look back at my finger to see that the glow has disappeared due to my lack of concentration. I decide to give it rest, and not exhaust myself too much, seeing as the Terra we are going to is uncharted, and we have no idea if there are Talons or other enemies already there.

"How much longer will it take to get to this Terra?" I ask, once again trying to sound interested, and trying to keep bad thoughts at bay.

It is Stork who replies this time "Well, providing we make it and don't suffer an incredibly slow and painful demise, ten minutes tops".

"Alright, I'll go let Aerrow know, so we can get ready for recon" I say. I stand up and walk down the corridor to Aerrow's room, hoping that he's in there and that I won't have to search the entire Condor for him. I walk up to his door and knock.

"Aerrow? Are you in there?" Before waiting for any sort of reply I open the door and walk into his room. Just as I walk in he is getting up off of his bed to open the door, which I have already walked through.

"You shouldn't just walk in like that" he says jokingly.

"Well, at least I knock" I joke back "We'll be at that Terra about ten minutes, I thought I might come find you so we can be prepared as soon as we're landed, I don't want to waste any time".

"Always so organized!" Aerrow teases.

"One of us has to be" I say as I close his bedroom door and walk over to him. I take one of his hands in mine and look up at him. "I wish times were safer".

"I know exactly how you feel" He replies with a small smile, "But as long as I have you that's enough for me. I've always wanted this Phoenix, you and me, and now we're finally together, I couldn't be happier".

"Me too," I say as I wrap my arms around his waist and rest my head on his chest. Aerrow puts a finger under my chin and lifts my face up to his. He looks me in the eyes for a moment then edges his face slowly towards mine. Before I know it, he is kissing me. I feel like I have skipped a step going downstairs, even though I know I'm standing still. I kiss him back, my concept of reality a complete blur; I have no cares nor worries, no panic, nor fears. The only thing that exists right now is Aerrow and I. I feel one of his hands in my hair, the other on the small of my back. The hand that is in my hair clenches into a fist, lightly pulling the hair around it. I have both of my hands clenched in Aerrow's hair, trying to pull us closer together, although we are already as close as physically possible. My lips mold to his, perfectly moving in sync. My heart is beating incredibly fast; I think it may try to escape. I never want this to end, it is perfect. I never want to return to reality, I want this to be my new world, Just Aerrow and myself. In this world, Cyclonis isn't after me, in fact, Cyclonis doesn't even exist. Our lips continue molding to each other.

Suddenly, bringing me back to reality, I hear the beep of the intercom, then Stork's voice, "The Condors landed vermin". Aerrow and I break apart, slightly startled at the sudden interruption.

"I guess we should go then" I mutter, a little breathlessly.

"Yeah, good idea" Aerrow laughs. I lead the way out of his room and down the hall to the hanger, where our skimmers are prepped ready to go. I walk over to my skimmer and see a crystal on the seat with a handwritten note.

"What's this?" I think aloud. I pick up the note and read it; Phoenix, sorry for using all the hot water this morning, Finn. I pick up the crystal and examine it. It is one of Finn's favourite velocity crystals. Small in size, but it would have enough force to power my skimmer around a large Terra at least twice. "How sweet."

"What is it Phoenix?" Asks Aerrow.

"Finn apologizing for using the hot water this morning," I reply, chuckling to myself, "Look, it's one of his favourite crystals, the one he was saving for something or rather."

I chuckle to myself and put the crystal in a compartment on my skimmer for safekeeping. I get on my ride and turn it on. The sweet purr of the engine is music to my ears, I slowly guide it over to where Aerrow is waiting on his.

"You ready?" He asks, his eyes alight with pure pleasure from the sound of his skimmer, and winks at me.

"You bet" I say back, my eyes reflecting the pleasure in his. I flick the communication switch on, on my skimmer "Phoenix to Stork, open the bird".

"Bird opening" Comes stork's disembodied voice as the hanger door opens, revealing the landing strip. I rev my engine, the purr turning into a roar, sending shivers up my spine. Aerrow does the same.

"Where's Radaar?" I ask, looking around for the furry little blue creature.

"Just give him a second, he should be here soon". Just as Aerrow replies, Radaar jumps up into the co-pilots seat on Aerrow's skimmer, "Alright, let's go!" I rev my engine once more, release the brake, twist the throttle hard and I'm off, leaving a trail of tire smoke behind me. A second or two later, Aerrow catches up to me. Once we are past the tree line, we slow to a casual speed. For some strange reason this Terra seems oddly familiar. I slow to a stop, Aerrow skidding up beside me, a cloud of dust surrounding us.

"What is it?" He asks.

"This Terra," I reply confused, "I feel like I've been here before."

"How is that possible, it's uncharted" He says looking around. I turn off my skimmer's engine and stand up.

"I know, but I have a strong sense of De-ja vu." I say absently. I walk over to a tree and stroke the bark, "That's strange".

"What's strange?" Aerrow asks.

"This tree, it's only a few days old" I state.


	8. Trap

Chapter Eight

"But it's so big, that's not possible, it would have to be at least a few years old" He exclaims, bewildered.

"I know what sort of tree this is, Aerrow, and there is only one Terra where this species grow, or at least did grow..." I trail off. "Aerrow, come on, I want to check something".

"Phoenix, where are we going?"

"I don't know, but if this is what I think it is then, just bear with me" I call back over my shoulder. I start walking through the trees, Aerrow and Radaar in tow. This can't be, I think to myself. The De-ja vu feeling is getting stronger; I somehow know where I am going, yet have no idea.

After ten minutes of weaving through the trees, we come to a small clearing, with emerald green grass, only big enough so two people could sit side by side. I somehow know this is where I had been headed. On the other side of the clearing is a tree, Bigger than all the others.

"Wait here" I tell Aerrow. I take a few steps across the clearing so I am standing in front of the big tree. I run my hand over the rough bark; it is coarser than the other tree I had examined. I kneel down to the base of the big tree and run my hand over the soil, clearing away some fallen leaves. I pick up a stick and start digging away at the dirt around the front of the tree.

"Phoenix, what are you doing?" Aerrow asks, sounding concerned.

"Just wait, I need to see something" I reply. I continue digging for another minute, until the stick hits something metal. I proceed to dig out the metal object.

"Phoenix, please, just tell me what you're doing, you haven't gone crazy have you?"

I stand up with the little metal box I have just dug up.

"Aerrow, this is not an uncharted Terra" I say frantically, showing him the little box.

"What's that?" He asks, confused.

"This," I say, opening the box to reveal its contents," Is a time capsule".

"How do you know?" The look on Aerrow's face is somewhat comical, but I am not in the mood to laugh.

"How do I know?" I reach into the box to pull out a photo, "I know, because, Dante and I buried it here, Aerrow".

"Phoenix, are you saying that this Terra is-"

"Terra Emeraldia? Yes, Aerrow, that is exactly what I am saying."

"But I thought you said Cyclonis used a Phoenix Crystal to destroy it. You said it was just charred remains when you were finally able to escape." He says, more confused than ever.

"It was, but the trees would have started to grow back within a few hours. This is the only Terra in the entire Atmos with This species of tree; no other Terra ever recorded has them." I explain, "We should get back to the Condor."

Aerrow nods his head in agreement and follows me back to our rides. We jump on our skimmers and ride back to the condor. Once there I don't even bother parking my ride inside the hanger, I turn off the engine, and run inside. I don't stop running until I reach the helm.

"Phoenix, is everything ok?" Piper asks, alarmed at the look on my face.

"I don't know" I pant, resting my hands on my knees.

"What's the matter?" She questions.

"This Terra, it's not uncharted, well, at least it shouldn't be" I say, catching my breath.

"What do you mean?" Piper looks as confused as Aerrow did.

"This is Emeraldia" I reply, sounding crazy, even to myself.

"No, it can't be, I've looked over all the maps, and Terra Emeraldia is over here, see?" Piper points to a spot on the map, "And we're here", she points to another part of the map.

"But I dug up the time capsule Dante and I buried years ago, The trees, were the same, everything in the forest was where it used to be, Piper, You must have calculated something wrong." I say still trying to catch my breath. I reach into my pocket to get the photo that was in the time capsule "Here, look".

"Phoenix, that's just a leaf" Piper says an uncertain tone in her voice.

"But, I dug it up, I-I" I stammer, my words trailing off before I realize something. "Piper, we need to get out of here"

"Phoenix, are you ok?" she asks, sounding a little scared.

"Piper, we need to leave now!" I practically yell. Just then Aerrow walks in.

"Phoenix, what's going on?" he asks again, still confused.

"It's a trap, we need to get out of here, I don't care where we go, we just need to get as far away from here as possible, this isn't Emeraldia, this Terra has been fabricated to look like Emeraldia, they've obviously used cloaking crystals and lots of them."

"Phoenix are you sure?" Aerrow sounds worried.

"Of course I'm sure, look!" I hold the leaf up to his face, "When we were in the forest, it looked like a photo, didn't it? Well I put that photo in my pocket, and all I pull out was a leaf!"

"Phoenix, calm down" Piper says. She must think I'm going mental.

"I'll be calm when we are far away from here, Piper" My voice starting to shake as images of my past start to flash through my mind, "Stork, get us the hell out of here, now, before Cyclonis shows up".

"A little mannerism wouldn't go astray", he mumbles to himself as he starts the engines and prepares for take-off.

I sit down on a chair and put my hands over my face before letting out a heaving sigh. Aerrow pulls up a seat beside me and puts an arm around my shoulder.

"Are you sure it's a trap, I mean, there are thousands of Terras out there, who's to say this isn't just similar to Emeraldia?" He asks quietly.

"It was too similar, Aerrow. It isn't just a coincidence that This 'uncharted Terra' looks exactly like Emeraldia, and besides, the only known Terra to have been recorded for having those types trees is Emeraldia" I take a deep breath then go on, "It dawned on me that this can't be Emeraldia, although it seemed similar, I can't put my finger on it. If this were Emeraldia, I would have known instantly, Aerrow. It's all just a big trap, and we need to go far away, or risk being possibly killed."


	9. The Dream

Chapter Nine

I stand up and walk out of the helm, following the corridor down to the end and turn down the hallway leading to my bedroom. I open the door and step inside, closing it quietly. Walking over to where my desk is and sit down, placing the leaf on my desk to examine it for a moment before scrunching it up and throwing it on the floor.

I curl my hand into a fist and bring it down hard upon my desk, leaving a dent in the wood.

"Arh!" I yell in frustration. Standing up, I walk over to my wardrobe. I wrench the door open and start rummaging through the top draw, throwing clothes everywhere until I find what I am after. I pull out a small velvet pouch and go to sit on my bed, emptying the bag's contents into my palm. I sit for a moment, looking at the ring and necklace in my hand, thinking about the day Dante had given them to me. Curling up in a ball, the ring and necklace still clutched tightly in my hand, confused and exhausted, I slowly drift off to sleep.

_A flurry of colours are flying about and passing me by in an amazing spectacle of shades and tones; Reds, blues, greens, pinks, purples, yellows, oranges, browns, swirling about in a mystical way forming spectacular shapes. Gradually the colours all begin to morph into each other and become one big mass of distorted colour. The mass then begins to take form, the form of a person. Slowly the coloured mass shifts, moving in an eerie fashion until I can make out a male figure. The colours continue to move about and shift until there is no sign of them anywhere, but in their place, skin tones and clothes, eyes and hair, a mouth and nose. Only then do I realize whose form it is. With his golden brown, shoulder length hair, fiery orange brown eyes, and a smile that could be seen a mile away, I walk towards him, reaching out in front of me as I do so._

_"Dante?" my voice a whisper. I'm standing less than a foot away from him. He doesn't say anything, just tilts his head to the left and grins, a detached look in his eyes._

_"D-Dante?" again, all he does is smile. I lift my hand up to place it on his cheek. There is no warmth, nor chill. There is no temperature at all; it is like touching nothing, except I can feel his skin under my hand. I don't notice where we are standing, until Dante moves his head and looks over his shoulder. We are in our forest, standing in the little clearing where we always used to go. The trees, hundreds of years old, stand tall above us, gently swaying in the soft breeze that blows, picking up fallen leaves, and then placing them back down, like a mother would her child. Emerald leaves on the trees glisten in the sunlight, like thousands of sparkling jewels._

_I inhale deeply through my nose, smelling the rich notes of the earth that are being carried by the wind, knowing at last I am home again._

_Exhaling, I let my arm drop back to my side, look up at Dante and can see that he knows what I must be thinking, for his eyes now shine like stars and his smile grows wider._

_"Welcome home, Phoenix" he says, his sweet soft voice that I had so longed to hear again, echoes gently in my ears. There is a certain mood in the air, a mood I had almost forgotten about. Everything seems light and bubbly, like it used to, before Cyclonis had ruined everything. Children's laughter it seemed, would be carried on the wind for miles around, making everyone bright and happy, making them feel young and free again._

_Dante turns around and starts walking towards the biggest tree in the clearing. I chuckle and follow him. We are standing side by side, looking at the tree._

_"Follow me", he whispers mischievously._

_"Where are we going?" I ask, curious._

_Dante doesn't answer; he just keeps walking into the trees. Curious as I am, I follow him deeper into the forest. Well off the forest trail, we could have been lost by now, but Dante looks like he knows where he is headed. Where is he leading me? I think to myself. The deeper we go, the darker the forest becomes. This is strange, why is it getting so dark?_

_After twenty minutes of walking and swerving through the forest, Dante comes to a halt. "Where are we, Dante?"_

_"I don't know" he replies, the strange, detached look returning to his eyes._

_"This isn't funny, why did you get us lost?" I ask slightly agitated._

_Dante doesn't answer. I look around, trying to make out any familiar landmarks, but it is hard to see through the dim light and the tightly clustered trees. Just then, he takes hold of my hand and holds it close to his chest. I can feel his beating heart under my hand, thumping away, as his breathing starts to slow._

_"Dante, what are you doing?" I ask quietly._

_He looks as though he is about to say something, then his features start to distort, and swirl around, no sound ever leaving his mouth._

_"Dante!" I yell in shock, quickly snatching my hand from his, watching in horror as his face is changing and deforming "NO, what's happening? Dante! Help! Somebody, please! He needs help, something's wrong!"_

_His entire body has started to change as well, twisting and distorting, yet still in a human form. His hair appears to be pulling back into his scalp, getting shorter and lighter. I can't watch this anymore; I run and hide behind a tree. With my back against the trunk, I slide to the ground, trying to figure out what is going on. I close my eyes in hope that someone will wake me up from this dream-turned-nightmare. Suddenly, I hear footsteps, walking up behind where I am sitting on the forest floor._

_"No, you're not real, go away, it's just a dream, I'll wake up soon and everything will be ok." I say out loud._

_"Don't be silly Phoenix, I am real" comes Aerrow's voice._

_"What? Aerrow? How? What are you doing here?" I ask, startled just as Aerrow steps around the tree to stand in front of me._

_"It's ok, I'm here now" He says in his soothing voice. I jump up off the ground and hug him tightly; afraid that the creature that had impersonated Dante will suddenly show itself._

_"Aerrow, it was terrible" I say into his chest, "Dante was here, and then he started to, I don't know, mutate and deform and, and..."_

_A cold, dark chuckle cuts my sentence short. I quickly pull away from Aerrow, only to see it isn't Aerrow anymore._

_"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Come now Phoenix, my name is not Aerrow" The Dark Ace says in a mocking tone._

_"Where is he?" I say, reaching for my Energy Blades._

_"Aerrow is indisposed at the moment; you may have to try again later" He smirks._

_"Where is he?" I ask again, now slowly pulling my blades from their sheaths on my back, without breaking eye contact with The Dark Ace for a second, not even to blink._

_"I just said your precious Aerrow isn't here, won't you listen, girl?" His voice is cold and patronizing._

_"If you have hurt him, I will-"_

_"You'll what, exactly? Hmm? What can little Phoenix do to the Dark Ace?" He cuts my sentence short once again._

_"I will make you regret it, no, actually, I will make you regret being born, you piece of scum" I say through tightly clenched teeth._

_He laughs a cold humourless laugh and takes a step forward. I ready my blades - which are now glowing deep blue - and take up a battle stance. Dark Ace takes another step, then another until he is within a hair's breadth of my right blade. I breathe heavily, my chest rising and falling, not knowing whether or not the Dark Ace will make a move or try to distract me for a cheap shot._

_"What's this? Are we hesitating? Not a very bold move now, is it? You could have killed me about ten seconds ago, yet you stand there like a scared child, waiting for someone to help you out," He sneers. I continue my piercing stare into his bright red eyes, which are so cold._

_"Don't you dare come any closer, Ace, or I will hurt you, and you wouldn't want that" I say, my voice shaking slightly. He is right, I have hesitated, but not because I am scared, oh no, I'm far from scared. Nervous? Of course I am nervous; you would have to be an idiot not to be. It was his eyes, those terrible eyes that, given the power, would burn into anyone. Although cold, not entirely emotionless. Under closer inspection, there is a hint of something in there, which I just can't put my finger on. Enough! I think to myself, snapping out of my thoughts and back to what is happening._

_"You couldn't hurt me, Phoenix. After all -" He lunges forward in a flash, knocking both my blades from my hands and pinning me to a tree, one hand on my hip, the other, entrapping both of mine above my head "-We do have something, don't we?"._

_My heart is racing. What does he mean? We have something? Is this some sort of sick joke, or some delusion that he is trying to bring to life?_

_"I don't know what you mean, now let me go" I say, trying to sound nonplussed at the fact that he has me pinned between a tree and his body, and that I am now completely defenceless. He gives me a knowing smirk and lowers his head, so I can feel his hot breath on my neck._

_"Oh, but I think you do", He says in a rough but soft voice. I feel a tingle run down my spine, fear maybe? Fear that this man could probably do anything at this moment and no-one is around to stop him? Adrenaline? Anger? Excitement? I quickly turn my head away from him, refusing to acknowledge what he is saying._

_"You're delusional; you've finally lost it, haven't you?" I say, trying my hardest to sound amused, but failing miserably._

_"We both know that is not the case", He replies in a low growl, breathing into my ear. I can feel his grip tightening on my hip, his thumb moving back and forth over a small area of skin that has been exposed from my shirt that had risen up with my arms._

_"Get away from me" I breathe, trying to ignore his touch. He just sneers at me and runs his lips up along my neck and along my jawline to my earlobe, which he lightly grazes with his teeth. My eyes close and my head lolls slightly to the right._

_"See? That's a good little birdie" He growls, a chuckle in his words. This is wrong, I think to myself, this shouldn't be happening, I shouldn't be letting him do this, I don't want this, I, I-_

_I am shocked out of my train of thought by the sound of gasping. I realize a second after, that it is me who gasped, just as The Dark Ace places his lips on my neck. Kissing my neck seductively, He releases my arms and lets them fall to my side, as he places his other hand on my hip. My mouth hangs open slightly, trying to comprehend, what is happening but my mind is a blur. Every cell of my being is telling me not to do this, not to let it go any further, to stop right here._

_"No" I say, trying to ignore the tingling sensation in my lower stomach, "We can't do this, it's wrong"._

_Dark Ace pulls away for a moment, a keen look in his eyes, "Just because something is wrong, does not necessarily mean we can't do it"._

_"Well, I say we can't do it, now let go of me" I say, putting my hands on his chest, trying to push him away._

_"Maybe this will make you more inclined to . . ." He leans his face in towards mine, his eyes piercing into mine, our breaths mingling together as he edges closer and closer until his lips are lingering on mine, ". . . Change your mind"._

_My lips move reflexively into his, I can feel his stubble scratching my face as our lips move about each other, my hands still on his chest, can feel his heart beating fast. I know this is wrong, but I can't stop myself, by this point, I don't want to stop myself. I am fully and completely under The Dark Ace's spell. The tingling sensation grows stronger as I feel him snake an arm down my leg, trying to reach my knee without breaking our lips apart._

_"Ace" I protest unsuccessfully._

_He doesn't take any notice, he has moved his attention to my neck again, so he can easily reach down to my knee and pull it up to pin it to his hip. His other arm moves to my shirt, one-handedly undoing the buttons. I let my eyes shut, as my breathing increases and starts to sound ragged. He is breathing in time with me, our chests heaving. I still have a feeling that I shouldn't be doing this, but when he moves his lips back to mine, all thoughts of stopping vanish right out of my mind. I inhale sharply through my nose and catch a familiar scent. For some reason this scent sharpens my senses, but I can't put my finger on what it is exactly. My lips stop moving against his and my eyes open. He pulls his head back and looks at me with a questioning glance. I look around to see that it is no longer dark, there is sunlight shining through the trees._

_"What is it?" Dark Ace asks an agitated expression on his face._

_"I'm not doing this anymore, I can't", I say, pushing hard against his chest to try and get him away from me. He drops my leg and stares at me, annoyed._

_"You know you can't stop, Phoenix. You know that even Aerrow can't make you feel like this. Only I can make you feel this way, and you know you want what I have to offer. All you need to do is forget about that pathetic little Sky Knight. Throw away your pride, Phoenix; forget about being one of the good guys. Give in to the unimaginable power of Cyclonia. You know you want to", he says in a sexy drawling voice._

_"Just stop, right now" I say sternly, trying to do my buttons up, "I'm not continuing with this, it goes against every moral I have. Now, for that last time, let me go, and leave me alone!"_

_"Very well. So be it, but this will happen sooner or later, we both know that Phoenix", He says as he lets me go. I push past him, watching out the corner of my eye for him to make a move. I gather up my blades and hold them loosely, but threateningly in my hands, my shirt still half open, revealing my upper torso. Dark Ace just sneers at my attempt of intimidation. I walk up to him and place my right blade at his throat, "Let me make myself clear to you, Ace. If you ever come near me again, I will kill you. Understood?"_

_I don't notice him reach for his Energy Sword, which he now holds lazily in his left hand. "Not if I kill you first" he growls, coldly then swings his sword at my neck._


	10. Not A Prank?

Chapter Ten

I awake with a jolt. I let out a breath that I have probably held in while I was dreaming. My arms are shaking slightly and there is a light sheen of sweat on my forehead. I can still smell that familiar scent. I look around my room, finally recognizing the scent. I see Aerrow sitting at my desk, watching me. I try to get up, but fall out of my bed. I have somehow managed to tangle myself in my sheets. Aerrow rushes over to help me untangle myself and stand up.

"Thanks" I mumble, disoriented, as the light from my window stings my eyes.

"Are you ok? You weren't having another flashback were you?" Aerrow asks gently.

I smile weakly up at him and answer, "No, not really."

Once I am up on my feet, I hug Aerrow and bury my face in his chest. I hear him chuckle as he wraps his arms lightly around me. I sigh contentedly, happy that I am awake.

"Want to tell me about it?" He asks.

I shake my head and point to my scar.

"Were you in here all night?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" He asks with a sheepish grin. I roll my eyes at him and give him a stern look.

"That's two nights in a row you haven't slept, you can't just stay awake all the time, Aerrow, and you have to sleep" I say.

"I did sleep, but your snoring woke me up," he says teasing me.

"I don't snore!" I say defensively, playfully shoving him.

"Ha-ha. You're right, you don't snore, and I was joking. But I did sleep last night, no need to worry" He says in his soft, velvety voice.

I let go of him and go to make my bed. Just then I remember that I had fallen asleep with the ring and necklace in my hand. I shake out the blanket and sheets searching for them.

"Looking for these?" Aerrow asks gently, handing me the ring and necklace.

"Oh thanks", I say, smiling up at him. I place them on my desk and continue making my bed. Once I'm done, Aerrow suggests we go get breakfast, to which I agree strongly as my stomach is rumbling loudly.

As we get to the kitchen, Finn is stuffing his face as usual and Piper is doing the dishes.

"Morning love birds", Piper says teasingly. I blush immediately, and stand there staring at her, shocked, "Calm, down, I was just joking." I breathe out a barely audible sigh of relief, and relax.

"Ha-ha, yeah I knew that" I feign a laugh, and proceed to walk over to the counter and start making breakfast. Damn it, I probably just gave it away, Piper will definitely know something's up now, I think to myself, and cringe inside.

"Phoenix, if you're not too busy later, could you come to the lab? I need your opinion on something," Piper asks over her shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, sure, what time?" I reply.

"Anytime is good, I guess, the sooner the better," she says.

"Alright, there's just some stuff I have to do first, then I'll be there."

"Ok" is all she says in reply.

I leave the kitchen and head back to my room. My clothes are still all over the floor, so I start tidying up. Without folding them, I throw them carelessly back into my wardrobe, trying not to think about what I had dreamt. When my floor is free of clothes, I take my ring and necklace and place them carefully back into their velvet pouch, which I decide to put into my desk draw instead of the wardrobe to avoid any future mess.

Flopping down on my bed, I let out an audible sigh. The sun shining brightly through my small window holds not much comfort or warmth for me, not after that dream...nightmare Yes, nightmare is the appropriate word, I think to myself. What did it mean? Has it any meaning at all?

"Probably means nothing", I mutter to myself quietly. Yet, I still have a strange feeling, a dark unfamiliar feeling in my lower stomach.

What did The Dark Ace have to do with anything? A small shiver runs down my spine at the thought of his name.

Most of the day has passed slowly, and to my surprise and relief, uneventful. I sit at my desk twirling a thread around my index finger that has come loose from my pants. Sighing boredly, I place my head on my hands and leaning on my desk, I try to think of something I can do to make this day finish quicker. Since one pm, it seems all the clocks have decided to go rather slowly, just to make me bored. I reach across my desk and pick up one of the crystals Piper gave me my for my birthday. It is a good quality Floater Crystal. It glows as I pick it up and the light pulses ever so slightly. I examine the angular contours of it, rolling it around in my hand, feeling the smooth faces of it. I place it back in its holder and return to playing with the loose thread on my pants.

Sighing again, and resting my head on my free arm, my thoughts wander back to my dream of the previous night. Maybe I am going mental, I muse silently, reining my thoughts back into the present. Piper had wanted my opinion on whether or not Fynn liked her. Hardly what I had expected from her of all people. I let out an uncharacteristic giggle at the thought of one day Me and Aerrow and Piper and Fynn possibly going on a double date. I decide to go find Finn and make him ask Piper out. I know they've got it for each other, but have too much pride to admit it.

Walking into the kitchen, I spot Finn stuffing his face.

"Hey Finn" I call to grab his attention.

"'Atsuppenix?" he mumbles with a mouth full of food.

"Put a bit more food in your mouth, then try talking, Finn" I say sarcastically. He rolls his eyes at me and swallows his food.

"What's up, Phoenix?" He asks his mouth now free of food. I walk over to him.

"Piper likes you. Go ask her out" I say.

"This isn't a prank is it?" He looks up at me, with hopeful eyes. I smile and reply "Nope". I turn on my heel and head down the corridor to my room.


	11. Hugs and Kisses

Chapter Eleven

Back in my bedroom, I'm laying my bed, trying to think of something to pass the time. Standing up, I decide to work on my Casting Energy. I grab some cushions off my bed and arrange them on the floor for maximum comfort. I plonk down on them and assume the Lotus position. Resting my hands on my knees, I start breathing in and out slowly, concentrating on projecting an aura. A few minutes later, I have an aura surrounding me. Who needs crystals?, I chuckle to myself internally. My thoughts, once again, stray to that dark place in the back of my mind, where I've stored last night's dream. As my thoughts come to the Dark Ace and what I was doing with him, my aura starts to change into a dark murky grey color with flecks of blood red swirling through it.

I instantly shut the thought off and my aura returns to its normal blue and green color. I haven't really used my Casting Energy properly, not since the last battle we fought, and then, it was so strong, that I didn't even register the intensity of the power I had produced. It was never as powerful before, or after that event, and I haven't even tried to reach that level of power since, not that I was trying last time. The amount of power that lies dormant within me scares me a little bit, no-one should have this much power. This is why I need to train myself, so when the time comes, I will know how to harness it properly, I will be able to control it and I will be able to save anyone I have to, while eliminating people like the Dark Ace. But I can't do it overnight, or any longer for a few hours a day, otherwise I'll burn myself out, I think to myself, slightly annoyed at how easily exhausted I get nowadays.

As I close my eyes again, attempting to keep focus, I hear a knock on my door.

"Come in", I say welcomingly. Aerrow opens my door and walks into my room. I open my eyes and see him staring down at me, wearing his adorable lopsided smile. I can't help but to melt under his gaze. His eyes are twinkling like the brightest star. He sits down beside me and imitates me in Lotus position. I playfully shove him, and he loses his balance, falling into the cushions, and dragging me down with him. I laugh loudly at him.

"Honestly, how do you manage to fall over from a sitting position?" I say through bouts of laugher, shaking my head at him. He shrugs his shoulders and leans over me, still chuckling.

"You, know, it's such a good feeling to see you laughing, Phoenix," He says, as he looks into my eyes.

"Yeah, it feels good to finally be able to have a good time," I smile up at him. He supports his weight on his left elbow and with his right hand, brushes a few stray tendrils of hair out of my face, leans down and gently kisses me. He pulls away, leaving me breathless. All I can manage to do is give him a goofy smile, and try to catch my breath.

"How is it possible for you to have such an effect on me?" I ask in a breathy whisper.

"I don't know, but I think the feeling's mutual," he chuckles down at me. I continue looking into his brilliant green eyes. I could stare at them forever.

"You really do make me weak, Mr. Strike, even though I am the most powerful Sky knight in all of Atmos" I say in a fake posh accent. Aerrow grins down at me and says in a fake posh accent, "Well, Miss Emeraldia, seeing as I disarm you so, that must make me the most powerful Sky knight in all of Atmos". I am reduced to a fit of giggles, and Aerrow joins in on the laughing, lying down beside me. Surrounded by all my cushions and with Aerrow next to me, I feel safe and secure, as if nothing could ever possibly go wrong. I surprised myself by feeling this way; it is first time in a very long time that I have felt anything remotely like this. Our laughing subsides and we just lay there, silently looking at each other.

"Oh, before I forget, the reason I came in here, is to ask if you've seen Piper and Fynn?"

"Not since I was in the kitchen last", I reply, then go on to say "Even if I did know where they are, I don't think I want to know what they might be up to".

Aerrow cocks his eyebrow and looks at me with his lips pursed, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

I laugh a little before replying with, "Well, when Piper asked me to see her in the lab earlier, it was about whether I thought Fynn liked her or not, you know, more than friends? I just thought I'd get the ball rolling told Finn to ask her out. They're probably sucking face somewhere right now, as we speak".

Aerrow rolls his eyes and chuckles a little, "I was wondering when those two were finally going to get the guts up and ask one another out, the niceness and awkwardness was killing me, to be perfectly honest".

"I know how you feel," I say grinning at him. We stare at each other for a little while longer, then Aerrow's expression changes. I notice a wicked gleam in his eye and cheeky grin appear on his face. Before I can even cock an eyebrow at him, he grabs me and pulls me on top of him. I squeal out of surprise and start laughing at him.

"You could've given me some warning you know!" I pretend to scold him. His cheeky grin turning into an all-out 'look at me, I'm the happiest man alive' face-splitting smile. His smile is infectious and I'm, once again grinning like a complete goofball. I lean down swiftly kiss him on the tip of his nose, and quickly jump up so I'm standing over him. He pouts up at me, so I decide to get him on his feet by levitating him, using my Casting energy. There was a look of shock on his face for a second before he realized what I was doing.

"You could've given me some warning you know!" he said, pretending to scold me back, by using my words. I simply stick my tongue out at him and smile. He lunges at me and sweeps me up into hug and twirls around, kissing me deeply, once again taking my breath away. I feel his arms snaking around my waist, I counter by putting mine around his neck and returning the kiss, just as deeply. I feel him smile against my lips. I smile back against his lips, before continuing the kiss. I run my fingers through his hair. My god, his hair is soft, it's just like silk or velvet or both it's an unknown kind of softness that just feels brilliant, even my subconscious is breathless. His lips are equally soft. I run my hands along his sculpted shoulders and down his arms, which are muscular, yet soft. I run my hands back up his arms and run them over his chest. His breath hitches at my hands exploring his body. I feel his hands moving, one going up my back, while the other travels down a few inches until it lightly rests on my behind. His other hand is still moving its way up to the base on my neck, where he grabs a handful of my hair and pulls my head back slightly so he has easier access to my mouth.

Kissing me fiercely, he pushes me against the wall, and continues his assault on my lips. My hands find their way back into his hair and start trying to pull us closer again. By now, I know that my energy will have reared its beautiful head. I open my eyes for a second and see us engulfed in a deep Pinky-red aura with blue swirling randomly through it. The sight is amazing, but I close my eyes again just as quickly as I opened them. I would be content to stay like this forever. I let my mind go blank and lose myself again. I love the feeling of being in Aerrow's arms. I feel his tongue brush past my lower lip. I open my mouth a bit more to allow him access. His grip on my hair tightens, which makes me gasp and smile against his lips, which he returns.


	12. Busted

Chapter Twelve

"Ahem!" Comes Finn's voice from the doorway.

Aerrow and I break apart immediately. I stand there, frozen on the spot, from being startled, Aerrow looks the same. I can feel my face going Bright red.

"Nice colors, they suite you," Finn says, with a smug look on his face.

"How long have you been there?" I asked, half angry and still shocked.

"Not long, but long enough to know you two are an item" He teases.

Aerrow looks like he would punch Fynn right in the gut, if he wasn't frozen on the spot from the shock of getting busted.

"If I can ever move from this spot again, you're a dead man, Finn!" Aerrow threatens, and death stares Finn, who looks like he is about to crack up laughing. My aura is still visible, but the colour has changed to a complete shade of bright crimson, the same colour my face must be right now.

"Hey! I did knock you know", Finn says trying to sound serious, but failing terribly when he spots all the cushions on the floor. "What have you two been doing in here?"

"Well, I was meditating, then Aerrow came in and then we ended up over here", I say rolling my eyes at him in a 'grow-up-Fynn-nothing-was-going-on' way. He tries to stifle a snort by coughing

"Oh? And what were you and Piper doing?" I retort. Finn instantly goes bright red, coughs and hangs his head down.

"Well, sort of what two were doing I guess," He replies quietly, with his head still bowed.

"Yeah right!" remarks Aerrow, who now has a smug look on his face.

"Jesus, Finn, you two haven't even been together a day, and you're all in each other's pants?" Just as I say that, Piper appears and grabs Fynn by the collar of his shirt, looks over his shoulder and says, "Excuse me, I need to steal Fynn for a minute", She smiles a flustered smile and drags him down the corridor.

I look at Aerrow, Bewildered and embarrassed. He grins at me and we both start laughing uncontrollably, holding on to each other for support.

"I think we need to talk to the others about us, now that our little secrets out", I say when our laughing has subsided.

"Yeah, there's no denying it now, seeing as we're, now how did Fynn put it? An Item." he replies with a humored sigh.

"Ok, I guess we should call everyone together, I'd at least like to try to tell everybody before Finn blabs to everyone" I say as I roll my eyes, "Come on, let's get to the helm".

I grab Aerrow's hand and lead him out of my room and we head to the Helm. When we get there, I walk up to Stork.

"Stork, I need to use the intercom, Aerrow and I are calling a meeting".

Stork doesn't say anything in return, he just mumbles to himself and his eye twitches. I reach for the Intercom button and push it. When I hear the static I speak, "Everybody, come to the Helm, Aerrow and I need to make somewhat of an announcement, that includes you too, Finn." I emphasize Finn's name as I say it.

Junko and Radaar are the first to appear.

"What is it Phoenix?" Junko asks, looking at me with a smile.

"I'll tell you when everyone is here, Junko", I smile back at him. I walk over to where Aerrow is standing, now with Radaar at his side. I scratch Radaar behind his left ear and he makes a happy chirping sound. Looking up at Aerrow with my eyebrows raised slightly, I ask, "Where are Piper and Fynn?"

Aerrow just rolls his eyes and replies, "I don't know, hang on". He walks over to the intercom, pushes the button, waits for the static, then using his 'Listen-to-me-I'm-your-captain' voice, says "Fynn and Piper, Report to the Helm Immediately".

He walks back over to where he was standing and winks at me. I give him a half smile then whisper, "I love it when you use that voice".

Aerrow chuckles quietly to himself and replies in his Captains voice, "Well, Miss Emeraldia, sometimes the captain must exert his power, not with physicality, but with an authoritive voice".

A pleasant shiver runs down my spine and rests in my lower stomach at the mock authority in his voice and I giggle quietly.

A moment later Piper and Fynn appear. Piper's cheeks are flushed and her hair is less than neat, but looks like she had tried to make it as neat as possible. They make their way to the table and sit down, Finn eyeing Aerrow and I, a grin playing about his lips. I spot him and narrow my eyes. He immediately looks away and pretends to be interested in something non-existent.

"Ok guys, here's the announcement" I say, taking a deep Breath. I look at Aerrow, "Do you want to tell them?" His eyes light up and he smiles and nods.

"Well, thanks to Fynn, Phoenix and I have come the conclusion, that if one of us doesn't say it, Fynn will." He pauses and continues, "It's not bad or anything like that, but we would rather you hear it first hand from us. On her birthday, after the party, Phoenix agreed to be my partner".

"I knew it!" Piper exclaims, jumping out if her seat and pointing at me and Aerrow, with a smile spread across her face. Radaar chirps up at Aerrow and smiles a toothy smile.

"Well, that's it, everyone, carry on with whatever you were doing," I say, as I clasp my hands together, feeling a little awkward. I turn on my heel and brusquely walk out of the helm, hearing everyone's animated chatter fade away as I near my bedroom door. Quickly, I step through the door, close it and take a deep breath. Why was that so awkward? I know I'm going to have to face them all eventually and answer their questions, the thought makes me shudder. It's not really any of their business. Why did Fynn have to see that? No-one should know. I'm putting so much at risk just to be happy. Am I Happy? Well my energy sparked up when Aerrow was kissing me earlier. I must be happy, right?

I'm brought back to reality by a knock at my door.

"Come in," I say quietly.

"Hey, are you alright?" Aerrow asks softly as he walks in.

I sigh before replying, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He walks over to my bed and flops down, making it creak ominously.

"Make yourself at home, Captain," I mutter sardonically, to which he just grins. I roll my eyes at him and take a seat beside him, making sure not to break my bed as I do so.

"You sure you're okay?" He gazes impassively at me, slowly starting to raise an eyebrow at me in concern.

"Aerrow, I'm fine, I just wasn't expecting that to be so awkward," I say truthfully. I fall backwards and cover my face with my arm, hearing Aerrow's quiet chuckle. I peek over at him with a quizzical look.

"What?" I say as I raise my eyebrow.

"You"

"What about me?"

"Barely three days ago, you couldn't stand being alone with me," a thoughtful expression on his face. "What changed?"

I take in his words, looking for a reasonably good answer.

"I think you know what changed" I say, my tone slightly laced with sarcasm.

"Yes, I guess I do," He laughs at me, then his face turns serious, "Why couldn't you stand to be left alone with me, before . . . This?."

"Because I didn't trust myself to be alone with you. I knew what would happen, and this is exactly what I was afraid of," I reply absentmindedly. His gaze softens a little and then he smiles, a dazzling white toothed smile. I melt immediately.

"I'm glad that was the case, I was worried that I might be terribly ugly," He jokes.

"Ha very funny. Why did you ask that? You already knew the answer."

"Just wanted to make sure," He shrugs and diverts his gaze, looking anywhere but at me.

"Are you ok? What's this avoiding look about?" I ask cocking my head to the side.

"I'm fine Phoenix, although I'm curious, what where you dreaming about last night?"

"I've already told you, I can't really remember," I say quietly, now avoiding eye contact with him.

"You were sleep talking" he mutters dryly and looks down at me.

"Oh..." I'm rumbled, I know it; caught fantasizing about that evil son of a bitch. No, not fantasizing, having a nightmare. I scold myself. Fantasizing? Where did that word come from? I suppress a shudder and try to change the subject.

"Where is our next destination? Has Piper done the mapping and flight plan yet?" I ask my voice just a bit too high.

"Some uncharted Terra, Junko and Fynn will do a recon mission to make sure it's safe to stay there. The flight plan is in place, and we're heading there now. I think you'll like it there, it's all forest" He replies in a clipped tone.

"That's good. Everything is so screwed up, Talons everywhere, spies, Cyclonis trying to track me down and The Dark Ace..." I trail off at The Dark Ace's name and I feel my cheeks growing red.

"What is it?" Aerrow asks, peering down at me.

"Nothing," I mutter, looking out of the window. Aerrow grasps my chin softly, forcing me to look up at him.

Pleading innocence, I ask "What was I sleep talking about?"

For a split second he looks as if he's eaten something foul, but quickly regains a straight face, though not before I notice.

"You said a few things" He says vaguely.

"Tell me." I press him for information, although I already have a good idea about what I might have said.

"First you were just mumbling incoherently, and then I made out 'Dante'. Then it looked like you were having some sort of nightmare. You started tossing a little bit." He pauses, as if he doesn't really want to go on. I give him a curious stare and he continues, "Then you said something like 'You're not real'. You started to mumble again, and then you said my name and calmed down a bit."

"Is that all?" I ask, hoping that it was all, but Aerrow's expression read otherwise.

"No," He replies, before continuing, "You started to have a sort of one sided conversation. About me I think. You asked where I was and you started to toss and turn again... then you started to sort of squirm. Like you weren't scared anymore, it wasn't fear, I know that much... Then you said the Dark Ace's name... You were breathing heavier than usual, it wasn't snoring."

I sat up on the edge of my bed and looked away from him. It was just a dream after all, it's not like it actually happened. Still, I felt as guilty as if it did happen.

"Aerrow, it was just a dream. Probably my subconscious telling me that I have a dark side or something. I don't know, but I know that it wasn't real, and I'm glad I'm awake. It was a damn nightmare."

"So you do remember your dream then?" He asks, and I could swear that his eyes glow a bit greener for a split second.

Looking down at my feet I reply, "Yes, I do, but I didn't want to tell you, I don't even want to think about it, Aerrow. It really was a nightmare, regardless of my body language. I don't really have control over my dreams; I can't help what my subconscious makes up. At the end of the dream I threatened to kill him if he came near me again, but he killed me, I think. That's why I awoke with such a start. It's awkward enough that my own mind played against me like that, but I didn't want you knowing, because, well... I feel as if I've cheated in some way. I feel guilty, Aerrow."

"I'm not mad or anything, I know it was just a dream, but it still seems strange to me," He says quietly.

"It was so vivid, Aerrow…" I whisper, still looking down at the floor.

"Hey, don't worry, Phoenix, stop thinking about it. Dreams are just dreams, right?" He says gently, draping an arm over my shoulders.

"Can we not talk about it anymore?" I ask, as I begin to Stand.

"Sure."


	13. The Meeting

**A/N: I might not be able to update for a while after this chapter as I'm not sure how much internet I have left (yeah, freaking mobile broadband, what a bitch lol) so I hope you enjoy this chapter and you know the deal; read & review ;) **

**oh, and thanks to DancerOfDanger, your review made my day :) I wasn't expecting any reviews for another week at least, but I'm not complaining in the slightest haha Enjoy whoever is reading :D**

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Chapter Thirteen

Sky Journal, I've lost count of the days.

_I have not had any flash backs for about two weeks now. The days feel like they are getting longer. No reports of Cyclonian activity have been recorded. I wonder what Cyclonis is planning? Whatever it is, it cannot be good, she has been quiet for too long. I'm starting to get worried. I know what I have to do, but Aerrow is not going to approve. I barely approve of this plan myself, but the time is getting closer._

_Signing off for now, Phoenix._

Staring out of the window at the setting sun, I sigh heavily; the plan to infiltrate Cyclonia weighs heavy on my mind. Aerrow should be the first to know, that is if I decide to tell anyone. Maybe I could just slip out undetected in the dead of night. Whatever I decide, I still need at least a few more weeks to prepare. I'm startled out of my thoughts by a knock at the door

"C-come in!" I say in a high-pitched voice. The door opens and Piper walks in.

"Phoenix, hey. We've set course for Atmosia; we should be there within two hours. Just thought I might let you know," She says.

"Ok. How long will we be staying?" I ask.

"I can't be sure. I think Aerrow wants to pick up a few spare parts for some of our rides," she pauses for a moment, "How are you and Aerrow going?"

"We're good…I think. Why?"

"I've noticed you two aren't talking that much. Has something happened?"

"I don't know. I let slip that I didn't think it was such a good idea to be together with Cyclonis after me at the moment. Since then, he has been kind of cold towards me," I reply, sighing. The memory of our little fight still in the back of my mind.

"_I thought you wanted this, Phoenix," Aerrow says quietly._

"_I do, Aerrow. It's just that I'm not sure about us now. We had to tell the others about us only days after we decided to be together. I wanted to wait for at least a few more weeks. I'm worried about what might happen if Cyclonis finds out."_

"_She's not going to find out, Phoenix. It's not like we advertise that we're together."_

"_I'm just scared, Aerrow. I don't want to put you at risk. Do you know what she would do to you if she finds out?"_

"_You're just being paranoid. It's completely safe," he replies, shrugging nonchalantly. Maybe I am being paranoid._

"_Aerrow, I don't want you to take this the wrong way…But, maybe we should just distance ourselves from each other for a while. You never think straight when you're around me, and neither do I. It's dangerous. What if we were to come under attack?" I say quietly._

_I think a see a look of annoyance flit across Aerrow's face and he makes to stand up._

"_I wish you would make up your mind about us, Phoenix. I'm tired of you saying that we shouldn't be together, than turning around the next second and saying the complete opposite," He shakes his head at me._

"_I'm sorry, Aerrow. But with how the Atmos is at the moment, I don't know how long it will be before Cyclonis figures it out, then comes and tortures you and the others," I say, looking down at my feet._

"_I'm not Dante. Cyclonis can try to get us, but it will be useless, we've beaten her before, we can do it again," he replies smugly. _

_I let out sigh, stand up, and take a step towards Aerrow._

"_Is being tortured to death really worth the price of being happy for a little while?" I ask, looking into his eyes. _

"_No one is going to be tortured to death. Stop being so cynical. What we do in here in our own time is between us, no one else. She's not going to find out."_

"_Maybe you're right. And maybe you're wrong. Maybe we should just call it quits before anything bad happens," I whisper, my heart screaming at me to take those words back._

_Aerrow's face falls, "No. I've waited too long for this. Please don't do this, Phoenix.'_

"_I'm sorry, Aerrow, but what else can I do?" I say, staring down at my feet. I hear him let out a deep breath then he puts his fingers under my chin, making me look up at him._

"_Phoenix, I love you," he breaths, his eyes screaming sincerity. My breath hitches at his words._

"Aerrow…" I whisper, unable to finish my sentence, the look in his eyes tugging upon my soul. I feel a lump forming in my throat and turn my head away from him. Feeling eyes upon my back, I turn around and see Stork peering at us from the corner of his eye. He quickly returns his attention to steering the Condor when I catch him peeking.

"Just forget it," Aerrow mutters and he stalks away down the corridor.

I stand there, feeling lost. What do I do? Should I go after him? Let him cool down for a bit?

Well, Phoenix, you really blew it this time with your 'oh, but Cyclonis is after me' bullshit, my subconscious sneers at me. Shut up brain, I hate you right now. Deciding that this is far from over, I retreat to the hanger for some quality time with my Skimmer.

"You both will be fine, Phoenix," Piper smiles reassuringly at me.

I force a smile onto my face and say, "Thanks Piper."

She pats my shoulder and then leaves my room, closing the door quietly behind her. Sighing heavily, I open the top drawer of my desk, pull out a note pad and pen, and start writing plans for my infiltration mission. Best to keep it secret for now.

"Phase one; infiltrate main fortress…" I jot down the words as I say them, "Phase two; gain their trust. Phase three; Take. Cyclonia. Down."

I slam the pen down on my desk and put my head in my hands, groaning exasperatedly.

This plan will never work, what about the details of each phase? How are you going to get Cyclonis to trust you? Think this through before you get all hell bent on revenge, Phoenix, Dante's words go through my mind, the memory of his sweet voice lingering in my ears.

"I never should have listened to you, Dante," I whisper aloud, a lump forming in my throat. Why did I let him convince me not to take revenge? "You would have been alive right now if I'd never taken your advice you fucking idiot!"

The familiar pulling pain in my chest is back and a wave of nausea hit me. I take a deep steadying breath to try to regain my composure. Sitting back, I take the piece of paper and holding it in my hand, disintegrate it into ashes. I blow the ashes off my desk and put the pen and paper back in the drawer, pulling out the little velvet pouch with my ring and necklace. Tilting the velvet pouch upside down, the contents fall into my outstretched palm. I slide the ring onto the middle finger of my left hand and fasten the necklace around my neck. I'm going to do this, I will kill Cyclonis and take down as many talons as I can while I'm at it.

"Meeting time," I mutter to myself as I stand up and walk out of my room.

The helm is nearly deserted except for Stork, who is at the wheel of the Condor, muttering to himself.

"Stork, I need to use the intercom," I state, as I walk towards him. Reaching out, I push the button and wait for the static before announcing a meeting, "Everybody to the Helm, please, immediately."

I release the button and stride over to the meeting table, taking the head seat. Crossing my legs, I lean back in the chair and strum my fingers along the edge of the table, waiting for the others to join me.

First to appear is Junko and Radaar. Junko takes a seat, while Radaar walks up beside me and makes a chirping sound. I scratch him behind his ear and he scampers over to sit beside Junko. Piper and Finn appear, both red in the face. Sex addicts, I think to myself, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. They both take seats opposite Junko and Radaar and look at me speculatively. I smile and raise my eyebrows at them and they return their attention back to each other. Aerrow is the last to appear, taking a seat at the far end of the table, facing me, but averting his gaze. Time to spit it out. I stand up, my chair scraping across the floor, silencing everyone and causing their heads to turn to me.

"Okay, everybody, um, here's the thing," I say, then take a deep breath, "Let me start by saying that you have all been great friends to me, and I will never be able to repay your kindness. You were there for me when I really needed it, and for that I'm grateful."

"What's going on, Phoenix?" Aerrow asks, now looking at me.

"Well…um…I have come up with a mission – a solo mission-," I add when Piper looks up interestedly at me, "I'm going to infiltrate Cyclonia and bring it down from the inside…But doing that will mean I have to leave you all…Officially."

There are gasps around the room and muttering between Finn and Junko.

"You can't leave, Phoenix," Aerrow says as he stands up.

"I have to, Aerrow. It's the only way. I'm sick of living in fear. I need to destroy Cyclonia. It has to end, sooner rather than later."

Everyone is quiet again, looking up at me expectantly. I don't know what else to say.

"You don't have to leave us, Phoenix," Piper pleads.

"Yes, I do, Piper. If my mission fails, everything will lead back to you all. I can't have that happening. If I'm successful then I can return. But until then, I have to renounce my title of Storm Hawks member."

Looking around at everybody, my eyes find Aerrow's. His composure slips for a split second, but he pulls himself together just as quickly.

"You're not leaving now are you?" Aerrow asks quietly.

"Not yet, I need at least a couple of more weeks to prepare for this mission. When I have left, you will not remember me. I never came here. I was not part of The Storm Hawks. To you all, I never existed. I say this for your own safety," I state, feeling a lump form in my throat.

"You don't need to do this on your own," Piper says, smiling up at me.

"I do. I will try to send progress reports, but it will be hard early on. I will succeed at this mission," I look up at Aerrow, how is watching me like a proverbial hawk, "I'll be back with you before you know it."

I seemed to have convinced them enough, for now they are all standing up and smiling at me like I'm some great hero. Except for Aerrow. He just stands there, a vacant expression on his lovely face. I stride over to Piper and pull her away to a quieter corner of the helm.

"Piper, I need you help me with mission details. I've never been good at that sort of thing," I whisper.

"Okay, but are you sure you want to go at this alone?"

"I can't stand the thought of any of you being hurt because of me. I need to do this for myself." I look around the room once more and catch Aerrow looking at us, "And, Piper…Please look out for Aerrow. Don't let him do anything stupid."

"Don't worry, I promise I won't let him interfere," She smiles at me.

"Thank you," I say, managing to force a weak smile in return.


	14. I love you too

**Ok, so this chapter starts to get a little on the naughty side, but hey, what do you do, right? Am I right? haha well, there is a little word that starts with the letter 'F'; no points for guessing what word it is. NO big deal, just read around it if you don't like swearing :P**

**Well, read and review, my lovelies :)**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

"Phoenix," Piper says as she quickly glances at Aerrow then back to me, "Please be careful. You can't fail, it would kill Aerrow. I'm begging you, just be careful."

I can't look her in the eye. There's no way I can promise that I will succeed at all.

"I'll try, Piper. The last thing I wanted to do is hurt him, but I already have," I reply, glancing down at my feet, "Can you start on the mission details? I'll need to go over them as soon as possible. I need every bit of information I can get."

"Sure, I'm on it."

Piper turns on her heel and heads for her lab, leaving me standing alone. Glancing up, I see Finn place his hand on Aerrow's shoulder. I try to make out what they are saying, but can't. Letting out a sigh, I walk back over to the meeting table and sink back into the head chair, trying to block out the noise of conversation. I rest my elbow on the table, leaning forward to support my forehead, and sigh again.

_Oh, the pleasures of being a Sky Knight. _Shut up Brain! I hear a chirping sound and look down to see Radaar, a sad expression on his face. I lean back in the chair and beckon for him to sit in my lap. He jumps up and nuzzles my cheek, chirping softly.

"I'm sorry, buddy, but I have to do this," I say quietly. His ears droop and he looks at me with puppy dog eyes, before curling up in my lap.

I sit there scratching Radaar behind his ear for what feels like hours, I don't even notice the helm is now deserted again except for myself, Radaar, Stork - and when I glance across the table - Aerrow. Okay, so not deserted, half of the squadron are here. At least it is quiet now, except for Stork, who is _once again _muttering to himself. Radaar has fallen asleep on me, so I stay put in the chair, trying not to move a muscle. I hear Aerrow shift around in his chair, and glance up at the sound. He is leaning forward, resting his chin on his fingertips, watching me. I feel my cheeks heating up under his stare. I want to run over to him, hold him and never let go, but I force myself to stay put.

_It's for the best, _I think to myself, but not believing it. Aerrow continues to stare, his eyes flicking between Radaar and me occasionally. This is getting ridiculous, so I deliberately look up and try to meet his gaze. When his eyes flick to my mine, he holds my gaze, barely blinking. I deliberately blink slowly; his lips part infinitesimally and his pupils dilate before he looks over his shoulder out the window, his face going slightly pink. I feel my stomach churn and Radaar stirs, lifting his head up and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Hey little buddy, how'd you sleep?" I say gently as he looks up at me with sleepy eyes. He makes a low chirping sound in reply before jumping off me and scurrying over to Aerrow. I keep my eyes trained on him as Aerrow reaches down to scratch him behind his furry blue ear. Maybe now it is the time to tell him how I really feel.

_What? This close to you leaving? I don't think that's such a good idea, _my subconscious raises it's eyebrows at me.

_Shut up brain, I am not taking your advice this time._

My eyes find their way to Aerrow's face, his brow is furrowed in concentration as he absentmindedly scratches Radaar, who makes a low friendly growling noise then scurries off out of sight. Aerrow makes to stand and unconsciously, I follow, like a shadow. He sees me move out of the corner of his eye and glances at me, his head leaning to the left ever so slightly. Forcing a weak smile onto my face, I stride over to him before he has the chance to walk away.

"Can I help you?" He asks rather coolly.

Pretending not to be stung by his coldness, I simply clear my throat and squaring my shoulders, say, "Aerrow, we need to talk. I can't stand this."

Gazing at me for a moment, he strokes his chin before saying, "What's there to say, Phoenix? We can't be together anymore because of your paranoia. I get it."

_Alright, that really hurt,_ I think to myself.

"Aerrow, please. I didn't want to hurt you. I'm just scared. I can't bear the thought of you being hurt. I've said this so many times that I've lost count. Why can't you just agree with me for once?" I plead.

"I did agree with you. I agreed to end it, because I was sick to death of you always going on about Cyclonis and Dark Ace and Talons. If you didn't want to be with me in the first place, then why did you start something with me?" He snaps angrily. I gasp, the edge of his words lacerating every inch of me. It takes all my inner strength not to run off and cry.

_Just tell him! _My subconscious pleads with me.

"The only reason I started something with you," I pause, my stomach drops and my heart rate spikes, making my breathing more rapid. I calm down and take a deep breath before continuing in a whisper, "The only reason I agreed to be your partner is because…I love you too, Aerrow."

He stands there – most likely in shock - with his mouth hanging slightly open. Is it really that hard for him to believe me?

_Well, it was over two weeks ago that he told you he loved you, and you said nothing, sooo… _My subconscious chucks in its unwanted opinion.

_Shut up brain!_

Aerrow still hasn't moved or said anything. I decide to retreat before the argument escalates, so I make to turn around and walk away. Just as I take a step, Aerrow grabs my hand, forcing my body to turn back around rather violently, and before I know it, his lips are fiercely claiming mine.

_Oh, wow. _I was not expecting him to do that, but besides the whiplash, this is brilliant. I return his kiss, just as fiercely, wrapping my arms around him, not wanting to let go ever.

_You should not be doing this, _my subconscious once again pipes up. I realize that the brain is right, and a lump forms in my throat as my eyes start to well. Breaking away from Aerrow, I quickly turn around so he doesn't see me dashing the tears from my face.

"What's wrong?" He asks as he places his hands on my shoulders.

"Nothing," I say as an involuntary shuddering gasp hits me. My whole body shakes as a result and Aerrow spins me around to face him.

"What's the matter?" Concern is etched onto his beautiful face.

"I'm just going to hurt you again," I whisper, knowing what I say is true.

"No you won't. What you just said has made me indestructible to hurt, Phoenix. You love me, nothing you do can make me think otherwise," He says gently.

"Aerrow, I couldn't just leave without telling you how I feel. Nevertheless, it doesn't mean that I'm not going to hurt you. I can see in your eyes that it's fucking tearing you apart that I'm going at this alone. It hurts me to hurt you, and that's what I'm doing right now."

"I know you can do this, you're so strong. It won't take long before Cyclonia is brought down for good and we can go back to normal. I know you, I believe in you, I love you," Aerrow states, his eyes alight.

"But you also know that until Cyclonia is brought down that we can't be together, Aerrow. This is what I was talking about. I'm just going to hurt you by saying this," I mutter.

"Phoenix, you're not hurting me. I understand," he replies, smiling slightly.

"Really?" I ask somewhat bewildered.

"Yes. No matter how long it takes for you to bring Cyclonia down, I will be here waiting for you. Even if it takes years. It doesn't matter, I will be counting the seconds until you to come back to me," Aerrow says as he gazes deep into my still damp eyes.

_Damn this man, does he realize that I could get myself killed doing this? _I think to myself.

Once again, I force a smile onto my face in reply to him.

"If something goes wrong, I won't be able to send for help from you lot. I'll have to try to reach a different squadron," I state, fidgeting slightly.

"I know. Just be safe. We have a few more weeks until you go, why not make the most of the time we have left together?" He whispers mischievously.

I pull away from him ever so slightly, raising my eyebrows.

"Take our skimmers out?" I ask suspiciously.

Seeing a wicked gleam in his eyes, I assume that no; we are most definitely _not _taking our skimmers out.

"_Aerrow? _What _are_ you suggesting?"

He grabs my hand and says, "Come with me," before tugging me along out of the helm and down the corridor.

We reach his bedroom and he ushers me inside, closing the door after him. Wrapping his arms around my waist, Aerrow pulls me to him, squeezing me tightly, before looking into my eyes. I hold his gaze, neither of us saying a word, just staring. I hear the blood rushing in my ears, as our breathing becomes synchronized.

_Phoenix, you should not be doing this, it will only make it more painful to leave, _my stupid subconscious once again voicing its unwanted opinion.

_Shut. Up. Brain!_

"I want to show you something," Aerrow breathes, smiling, "I got these a few months back."

"What is it?" I ask, my interest piqued.

He lets go of me and strides over to his dresser and opens the top left drawer. Reaching in, he pulls out a small crystal pouch. Closing the distance between us, I take a few steps closer, to see what Aerrow has just pulled out of the drawer.

"Hold out your hand," He smiles down at me. I give up my right hand and he empties the contents onto my palm. I examine the crystals for a moment, holding one up to my eye, trying to determine what kind it is.

"What sort of crystals are they," I ask, slightly annoyed that I can't figure it out.

"Well that one," he points to the pink crystal, "Is a Cajun Moon crystal."

"A Cajun Moon Crystal?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

Aerrow chuckles and takes the crystal from me.

"Yes, watch," he replies and throws the crystal onto the floor. As it makes impact, there is a soft exploding sound, followed instantly by pinky smoke that fills the room. I can barely see my hands in front of me. A few seconds later the smoke disappears and there are roses on every available surface in the room.

"Oh my…That's beautiful, Aerrow," I breathe, taking in the beauty of the flowers everywhere.

"You like it?"

"Yes, I love it, it's amazing," I reply. I realize that I am still holding the other crystal, and not bothering to try and figure out what it is, hand it to Aerrow, who is smiling at me. He throws the second crystal on the floor and it explodes silently, but instead of fading, the sparks rise to the ceiling, creating miniature silent firework-like lights.

"I would have preferred this to be under different circumstances, but I guess it's now or never at the moment," Aerrow shrugs shyly. I take a step closer to him and he envelops me in his arms, resting his chin on the top my head.

"This is lovely. Thank you," I murmur into his chest, wrapping my arms around his waist as we stand quietly for a moment. I feel him shift around and he clears his throat before putting a finger under my chin, gently coaxing my head up, so that we're now millimetres away from each other's faces.

"Just to be clear, you know what I'm doing, right?" He breathes.

"I have an idea," I reply vaguely, before grinning at him.

"Good," he says quietly.

Stepping away from me, he takes hold of my hand and leads me over to his bed, gently guiding me down onto the soft mattress. Aerrow lays beside me, propping his up, holding my hand and gazing at me like I'm some beautiful confusing object of happiness.

"I love you, Phoenix."

"I love you too, Aerrow," I breathe, not hesitating to say the words this time.

He leans down and gently kisses me, causing my breath to hitch and my heart rate to increase. Leaning back, he smiles down at me once more before returning to kiss me again, more deeply this time. He shifts his body weight, so that he is half laying on me, keeping himself propped up on his elbows.

I feel a deep-seated aching in the inner workings of my body, a shameless, passionate need. Returning his kiss, I let my hands explore his body; his chest, his back, his stomach, his arms, his hair. I hear Aerrow's breath hitch as my hands do their thing, and a small gasp escapes my lips at his reaction to my touch.

_And so it begins, the lustful dance of passion, _I think to myself.

Slowly, Aerrow's hand lifts my shirt until I have to sit up, allowing him to pull it over my head. I reciprocate by removing his shirt and we lay back down, continuing the dance of the crazy tongues. Aerrow runs a hand down my torso, sending shivers down my spine, before stopping at the button on my jeans. Not wasting any time, he undoes my jeans and pulls them off, slowly.

_Tease._

I just lay there, looking up at him, refusing to help remove his pants. He pouts playfully at me before quickly removing his pants. Again, he kisses me, chastely this time, before pulling back, that wicked gleam back in his eye.

"Ready?" He asks, grinning down at me cheekily.

My breathing spikes again and I clear my throat before replying.

* * *

**Oooh! A cliff-hanger! what will happen in the next chapter?...If you can't guess, then you're definitely waaay to young to be reading this...or really sheltered. Either way, hope you like this drivel :) **

**AAAnd on another note, I may not be updating for a while, it will depend if I have internet access. Feel free to pm me or whatever for any weird creepy reasons and Ill try to get back to you and all that boring stuff :)**


	15. Late Night

**Alright! Sorry it took so long to update! But, alas, I have internet again! What a relief, right? In this chapter, I will be explaining the Pythagorean Theorem...Just kidding, Pythagoras can keep his stupid triangles and theories. I hope you like this chapter, I'm not too sure of it to be honest, so reviews would be lovely, my lovelies :) **

**And If you're lucky, I will post a new chapter in the morning or evening, depends what part of earth you inhabit. So, with this boring bit out of the way, I will say, Sayounara and oyasuminasai. Oh, and Pretty, pretty please review ^.^**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen

"_Ready?" He asks, grinning down at me cheekily._

_My breathing spikes again and I clear my throat before replying._

* * *

Sitting in the middle of the bed in each other's arms, my face is buried in Aerrow's neck as we rock gently back and forth, creating the passion that you would read in a book, or see in a movie. A nearly inaudible gasp escapes my lips as Aerrow shifts slightly, sending ripples of pleasure through me, and causing my already bright aura to brighten and pulsate a little more.

To stay like this forever, I would be content, but my mind keeps wandering; wandering to that dark place in the back of my head.

_Stop thinking, just enjoy, _my subconscious whispers.

If only it was that easy. Even though I love being here, enveloped in Aerrow's arms as we make love, I feel my heart sinking.

_That's quite enough, stop feeling so pessimistic, _my subconscious snaps.

_Jeez, fine. Have it your way, brain, _I think to myself, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

I feel Aerrow's hands running up my back, all the way, until he is cupping my face. Gently, he pulls my head up towards his, and plants a soft kiss on my lips. Coursing through me like a chain reaction, pleasure sends my aura exploding around us, lighting the room up with many colours, nearly blinding me. Scrunching my eyes tightly shut, I clutch Aerrow to me as a low-pitched shriek escapes my lungs.

_Did I really just sound like that? _I think to myself as I feel my body start to relax. Moments later Aerrow follows suit, a low growl escaping his throat. My aura, still going wild, has dimmed slightly. Panting heavily, Aerrow leans us back until we are lying down again. I can feel his heart beating through his chest as he lies on top of me, his breath tickling my neck. Curling my arms around his neck, I let out a sigh.

Would it make me a coward if I were to back out of this plan and just stay here with these people; these people who are my only friends, the only thing close to family I have left?

_No, I have made my decision; I have to stick to it. _

Suddenly, the intensity of the situation hits me and a lump forms in my throat. I look up at the ceiling to hold the tears that threaten at bay, but it doesn't work. Silently, a tear escapes from my eye, rolling down my cheek leaving a warm trail in its wake.

"I'm sorry, Aerrow," I whisper as my voice cracks.

He raises his head, looking at me in confusion.

"I know you don't want me to go," I elaborate.

"Hey, it's ok, Phoenix," he replies as he wipes a rogue tear from my face with his thumb. Staying silent, I gaze up at him trying to find any doubt in his words. When I am satisfied that he is telling the truth I smile weakly up at him, shaking the worry from my mind.

"I'm just being silly. Sorry. I didn't ruin this did I?"

"No, you didn't. It was perfect," Aerrow chuckles, and rolls off of me onto his side facing me. I let a small chuckle out and turn to look at Aerrow.

"What's the time?" I ask, looking around for a clock.

"Night time," Aerrow says cheekily.

I roll my eyes and nudge his shoulder as I make to stand. Gathering up our clothes, I throw Aerrow his then stride into his bathroom.

Emerging from the bathroom, I walk over to Aerrow's dresser and pick up one of the roses. Bringing it to my nose, I inhale its scent deeply.

_How beautiful, _I think to myself as I place the rose back onto the dresser.

"Nothing is going to change your mind about this, is it?" Comes Aerrow's voice from behind me.

"No, I'm afraid not," I reply, sighing.

"And about us? We're not getting back together are we?"

"No, we're not."

"One day, then."

I hear his footsteps fading away then the door clicking closed. Turning away from the dresser, I head out of Aerrow's room in search of Piper.

I've searched nearly the whole Condor looking for Piper, so I decide to head to the helm to see if she is studying her maps. I head out of her lab and walk down the corridor, when I hear footstep running up behind me.

"Phoenix!" I hear Piper's voice practically yell.

I turn around and put my hands in front of me just in time, to prevent a collision.

"I've been looking everywhere for you, Phoenix," she pants.

"I was with Aerrow, and I was trying to find you too. What's up?" I ask.

"I've compiled all the available information you might need for your mission," Piper replies, looking proud of herself.

"What, already? That was quick."

"Well, yeah," she shrugs and smiles at me. Handing me a bulging folder, I take it.

"Right. Well, let's go to the helm, I'll call Aerrow up as well, and we can go through this," I say, holding up the folder.

With that, we make our way to the helm, once again for the evening.

"What were you and Aerrow doing?" Piper asks.

"Just stuff," I reply, shrugging slightly.

"Last time I checked, you and Aerrow weren't exactly on speaking terms. What changed?"

"I cornered him and made him listen to what I had to say," I reply simply.

"I'm glad you two worked it out. What exactly were you talking about?" She asks interestedly.

"Um, well, there wasn't much talking really," I mutter, going slightly pink.

Piper chuckles then replies, "I see. Was it good?"

"What?"

"The sex, was it good?" Piper asks again.

"Well, if you really must know, it was spectacular," I laugh.

Stepping through the thick steel door to the helm, Piper and I stride over to the meeting table and I set the folder down.

"I still can't believe it took you less than a day to compile all this information. How do you do it, Piper?" I ask, rather impressed with her.

"Well, there isn't much else to do around her, so I focus my time on gathering information about pretty much everything I think will come in handy," she replies.

"You're one of a kind Piper," I smile at her, "I'm going to miss this place."

"Are you sure you don't want us to help in any way?"

"I can't take that risk; I need to know that You, Aerrow and the others will be far away, out of danger completely. You have help out so much already; I cannot ask that you put your lives in danger for something I want to do."

"We will be fine, but if you change your mind, we will help wherever possible, okay?"

"I appreciate it, Piper, thank you," I smile at her, "I'll call Aerrow up here, then we can go through the things I will need to get from Atmosia."

"Okay. We landed here when you and Aerrow were…When you were with Aerrow," She chuckles at me.

I did not even notice the Condor landing, or the absence of the rumble from the engines. Walking over to the deserted cockpit – _Stork must be sleeping, or inventing new…contraptions _– I reach for the intercom and press the button. Waiting a second for the static, I speak, "Aerrow, could you please come to the helm, thank you."

I walk back over to Piper, and eye the folder, _going through this could possibly take all night. _

"Okay, let's start going through this," I say as I sit down and pull the bulging folder towards me. Opening it, some of the pages fall onto the table. _Okay, this is going to take a while. _

Piper pulls up a seat to my left as Aerrow strides in, taking the seat on my right.

"Okay, Piper has compiled this…Monster folder of information about Cyclonia," I say, glancing at Piper who giggles and shrugs, "So, we will go through it and come up with a plan on who it will be best to infiltrate that dump of a place."

Aerrow glances at the folder and raises his eyebrow at Piper.

"This will take forever to go through," He complains.

"Stop whinging, Phoenix needs us to do this for her, it's the least we can do," Piper scolds him.

I try to repress a chuckle, remembering how Piper would scold the boys when we would play games when we were younger. That memory enforces my feelings towards this mission. That is what I am defending, that is what I am taking revenge for.

"Okay, you two, let's get this done."

Pulling a few pages from the top of the pile, I spread them out and we begin studying the information.

Hours later, we are only just halfway through the papers.

"This diagram, the one right here," Piper points to one of the many pages, "is just a basic diagram of the outer main fortress. There are seven landing strips on the Northern face, three of them are just loading bays, and the other four are docking bays for Cyclonian Battle Cruisers and runways for Switchblades."

I study the diagram, taking in the location of each bay and landing strip.

"What's the time?" Aerrow asks, as he yawns and stretches his arms above his head.

Glancing over at the clock, I am surprised to see that it is quarter to three.

"We should probably wrap this up, and continue tomorrow, after we've done everything on this Terra," I say sleepily.

"Good idea," Piper replies, as she stands up and stretches.

"Agreed," yawns Aerrow, who looks like he is about to fall into a coma right here.

"Well, let us enjoy the four hour sleep we might get," I say, rolling my eyes and shuddering at the thought of being woken up by either Finn or Junko screaming down the hallway. I gather up all the loose pages and stuff them back into the folder, slipping it under my arm.

"Goodnight you two," Piper murmurs as she walks off to her bedroom.

"Night," Aerrow and I reply in unison.

Pushing our chairs in, we head down the corridor, practically dragging our feet. When we reach my room, Aerrow follows me inside. I activate the small Illumination crystal on my desk and it emits a soft glow, lighting my room just enough so I will not trip over anything.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" I laugh at Aerrow, who is still standing at the entrance of my room.

"Well, I do fancy the thought of watching you when you're all defenceless," he replies with a grin.

"You pervert," I mutter as I roll my eyes at him and a small chuckle escapes my lips. Placing the folder on my desk, I sigh and run a hand through my hair, which is in long need of a trim.

"Do you mind if I stay with you tonight?" Aerrow asks tentatively.

"I suppose not. But what does this mean now? We aren't together, but we are acting as if we are. I am all kinds of confused, Aerrow," I reply.

"Remember when we were little kids?" He asks as he strides over to me.

"Yes, what does that have to do with this?" I stand there and grasp my left arm with my right hand.

"We used to play pretend all the time, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember, Aerrow, what are you going on about?" I ask, slightly confused. He takes a step closer to me, not touching, but close enough for me to feel his body heat.

"We can keep playing pretend," he whispers as he pulls me to him.

_Damn this man, he's only making this so much harder…wait, maybe this is his plan…oh, I am so on to you, Sky Knight._

"I guess we can. But won't this make it harder when I leave?"

"It might, but it will also make what we have more real," Aerrow whispers into my hair.

"You are the most difficult, stubborn man I have ever come across," I mutter and shake my head into his chest.

"But you love me," He replies.

"I don't know why," I joke.

Releasing me, I let my arm drop back to my side and we stand in silence for a moment. Distant memories that I didn't even know I still had, flood my mind; Aerrow and Dante running through the forest rigging boobie-traps, Piper and I Practicing Sky-Fu.

As my mind is inundated, I start to feel faint. It happens all so fast; my vision blurs, my knees give out, and my head hits the wooden desk…Darkness.


	16. Flashback 2

**Okay, this chapter is quite long, but it should be a good read nonetheless, so read and review.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

Darkness…

* * *

"_Phoenix, dear, stop fussing and let me do your hair properly," my mother scolds, light-heartedly._

"_Mum, I'm 15, I can do my own hair," I scoff in reply. Mum gently raps the brush on top of my head, "ouch!"_

"_Stop it, young lady, you know it's tradition for mothers to do their daughter's hair like this on their fifteenth birthday," mum scolds again._

"_Fine, just don't make me look too girly, all the boys will never let me live it down," I mutter petulantly._

"_Good girl." I can hear the smile in mum's words. _

_I see her reach for a monstrously repulsive hairpiece with powder blue, white and pink flowers overflowing everywhere._

"_Mum! What in the Atmos is that thing?" I ask, terrified by the thought that I know it will be perched on top of my head._

"_This, sweet-heart, is called a Kanzashi, it's the same one I wore when I turned 15," she replies in her patronizing motherly voice. _

"_Muuum! You honestly don't expect me to wear that…Thing, do you?" I ask horrified. _

"_Oh, it's not that bad, Phoenix, you might find your future husband wearing this, I did."_

Oh no, not a stroll down memory lane, please mum, I have heard how you met Father over and over, _I think to myself._

"_I'm only 15, not 25 or 30. I don't see me getting married any time soon," I roll my eyes at her._

"_You never know, sweetie, you just might. I've noticed a few of the young men around here follow you like lost puppies, especially Dante," she suggests._

"_Mother! Dante is like a brother to me, we're best friends, he just looks out for me and keeps away all the so-called," I put my fingers up, imitating quotation marks, "young men."_

_My mother chuckles, and shakes her head, as she hands me the Kanzashi, while she piles my hair on top of my head, fastening it all in place with some clips. A few stray tendrils hang down either side of my face, so I make to brush them away but my mother's hand comes out of nowhere, swatting my hand away._

"_Stop fidgeting, the sooner you sit still, the sooner I will stop fussing over you," she scolds me once more and takes the Kanzashi from my grasp, placing it on top of my head. The flowers are piled up on top, dangling down, and are heavier than I thought. Mother fastens it in place with some hairpins, and places her hands on my shoulders, smiling at my reflection in the mirror._

"_You look absolutely stunning, honey," she whispers._

"_I guess it's not that bad," I murmur. _

_She is right, I do look quite pretty, the blue flowers really bring out my eyes, but it still does not excuse the fact that she has been dressing me up like a doll for over an hour. _

"_Let's go find your father, he will be so proud of his little girl," mother gushes._

"_I'm sure he will sympathize with me," I say rolling my eyes._

_My mum takes my hand and leads me into the living room, where my father is reading a book. When he glances up at us, his face lights up in a wide grin._

"_Isn't our baby girl just beautiful, Nasicus?" _

_Father puts his book down and strides over to us, still smiling._

"_You look just like your mother did," he states proudly._

"_Stop embarrassing me, dad," I reply jokingly._

"_I'm your father, it's my job," dad laughs, "Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to give you your present from me before the celebrations started."_

_Father heads out of the living room and returns carrying an intricately carved wooden box. Striding back over to where mother and I are waiting, he places the box on the table next us. I look at the box curiously, admiring the design._

"_What is it?" I ask._

"_Open it," dad urges me._

_I reach out and run my hand over the lid then release the silver clasp and open it._

"_Happy birthday, sweetheart," dad smiles at me when he sees the surprise on my face._

_I grasp the objects and pull them out, admiring them._

"_Energy Blades? They're wonderful, thank-you daddy!" I shout in excitement as I throw my arms around him. He laughs at my enthusiasm and mum joins in, hugging us both. Suddenly out of nowhere, there is a flash. I jump back, startled, looking for the source then a mess of brown hair pops around the corner, his fiery eyes alight with amusement._

"_Thank you Dante, we appreciate that," my mother smiles at him._

_I stand there, confused._

"_What are you lot up to?" I ask suspiciously._

"_Well, we knew that there wouldn't be much of a chance to get a nice picture of you smiling at the celebration, so we asked Dante to do us a favour, by taking a family picture after your father had given you the energy blades," mother explains._

"_You set me up," I pout, and then turn to Dante, "and you helped, shame on you, Dante Amicus, you're supposed to be on my side."_

_Dante just laughs and shrugs at me as he walks over to my parents to give them the picture._

"_Wow, Phoenix, I didn't know you were a girl," He teases._

"_And you're not?" I retort, narrowing my eyes at him. _

_Dante throws his head back in laughter, and then replies with, "You're so fiery, your parents named you well."_

"_Would you all stop picking on me," I complain._

"_We're not picking on you, sweetheart," mother laughs at me._

_I turn to Dante, who is loosely holding his camera in his right hand. An idea hits me._

"_Dad, take Dante's camera," I say._

_Looking at me funnily, my father takes Dante's camera from him._

"_Dante, come here."_

_Dante moves to my side, and I slip my arm around his waist._

"_What are you doing, Phoenix?"_

"_You wanted a nice picture of me, didn't you? Well, Dante should be in the picture too," I explain. _

_My mother's face breaks out into a full megawatt smile and she clasps her hands together._

"_Smile, Dante, they want a nice picture," I scold him._

_Dante shakes his head at me as he places an arm around my shoulder and smiles at the camera._

"_Say Skimmers!" Dad says, and then presses the button. I am temporarily blinded by the camera's flash and have to scrunch my eyes tightly shut. _

"_You two look lovely together," my mother says._

_Both Dante and I go pink in the cheeks._

"_Mum, stop it," I pout._

"_But you do, sweetheart," mother shrugs at me. _

"_I have to agree with you, Mrs Emeraldia," Dante says._

"_Dante, you're not helping me here. Everybody, just stop embarrassing me, right now," I command. _

_The three of them just laugh at me. They are really enjoying making me uncomfortable._

"_Sorry, Phoenix, we couldn't help it, you bite too easily. You should really learn to control your temper, young lady," my dad half scolds me._

_My mother shrieking startles me, "we have to get to the ceremony, and you can't be late!"_

"_We're not going to be late mum, it's only around the corner," I say trying to calm her down. Honestly, this woman worries too much, "and would you please stop calling it a 'ceremony'? It's just my birthday party."_

"_It's not just your party, dear; it's also your congratulatory ceremony for your completion of Sky Knight training," father says._

"_I suppose we should get going then, I don't want mum to have a heart attack."_

_I am waiting out the front of the house with Dante and my mother while father locks the door and joins us. _

"_Okay, we all ready?" Dad asks._

_We all nod our heads and begin to walk down the small front path of the house. When we reach the gate, Dante covers my eyes._

"_What are you doing, trying to trip and kill me?" I shout, startled._

"_No, I've got a surprise for you. Your parent's helped, but it was mostly me," Dante chuckles._

"_Don't worry, Phoenix, we know you will absolutely love it," comes my father's voice from somewhere behind us. _

"_Keep walking, your mum will get the gate," I hear Dante say._

_I continue to walk forward, and hear the creak of the gate swinging open._

"_If I fall over and break my neck, it will be entirely your fault, Dante," I complain._

_He just laughs and says, "Keep moving, Sky Knight."_

_Moments later, Dante removes his hands from my eyes and I'm blinded once again by the bright sunlight. I look around, but cannot see anything. Oh, okay, just get my hopes up about an imaginary present, thanks a lot guys. _

"_Why are you looking there, try over here," Dante points to his left._

_My eyes follow his hand and come to rest upon a Skimmer. Not just any skimmer, An Air Skimmer III Elite, the second newest model so far. I can see, proverbially written all over it; Speed, Manoeuvrability, Speed, Speed, Speed! I walk over to it, and run my hand along its frame. Inscribed on the crystal fuel tank, just above the opening there is a message; _To Phoenix, now that you are legal to fly, thought you might need one of these, Happy Birthday, Love Dante.

"_So, do you like it?" I hear Dante ask. I turn around, my face feeling like it's about to split in two from the massive smile that is on it._

"_How in the Atmos did you afford this, Dante?"_

"_Your parent's did help out a little bit, but I have been saving for some time now to get you one of those," he replies proudly._

"_I love it, thank you, so much! Can I go for a ride, please mum?"_

"_Not now, sorry honey, we have to get to the celebration," my mum replies._

"_Mum, it's just a birthday, I'm going to have plenty more," I complain._

"_Later, Phoenix, we really do need to get a move on," father says._

"_Alright fine."_

_Reluctantly, I walk away from my new ride and join my parents and Dante as we continue on to the celebration venue. _

_Stepping through the doors of the celebration hall, I spot a few familiar faces and some not so familiar. Nearly everyone that my parents know is here, even Mr Rantyll, Terra Emeraldia's most experienced crystal expert. He also owns a small store this side of the Terra, and taught me how to refine my energy casting, so that I could use it without breaking things or hurting anyone. Nobody really knows his true age, but he is one of the oldest people of Terra Emeraldia. Some say that he is well over 100 years old, but it is purely speculation. Dante and I used to visit his store and he would tell us stories of when he was the Crystal Mage of one of our Terra's previous Squadrons._

_Mr Rantyll spots us and shuffles over, flipping his shoulder length silver hair behind him. _

"_Dear, young Phoenix! What a great privilege it is to see you growing up! And congratulations for graduating the Sky Knight Academy. I am honoured that such a bright young girl is the leader of our new Squadron! Oh the stories you will have for us, I can't wait," Mr Rantyll beams, his eyes sparkling like grey jewels. _

"_I'm so glad you could be here, Mr Rantyll," I smile up at him. Unbelievable, this man is so old, yet there is barely a wrinkle on his face, I must learn his secret. _

"_Have you assembled your squadron, young Phoenix?" _

"_Not officially, Mr Rantyll, that will be done at the end of my birthday celebration," I reply. _

"_How very exciting, to see a new squadron born under your leadership here tonight! I'm sure you have made the finest of fine selections!" he says as he grasps my hand in both of his and beams at me before shuffling off to socialize with other guests. _

"_Phoenix, dear, your father and I are going to welcome some of the guests, you and Dante stay here, no running away, young lady," mother says._

"_I'm not going to run away, mother, I have important things to do too," I smile at her._

_Mother takes hold of father's hand and practically drags him away as he shoots me a look that says 'help me please'. I laugh and turn to Dante, who is looking around like he is trying to find someone. _

"_Who are you looking for?" I ask._

"_No one in particular, just scoping out all the guys, so I can protect you from them," he teases._

"_I don't need protecting, idiot," I say, rolling my eyes at him. Shaking his head at me, Dante lets a grin creep onto his face and drapes an arm around my shoulders. _

"_One day you will need protecting, and I intend to be there when you need it, idiot," he replies, his face a little more serious than before, "let's go sit down, I feel awkward just standing here."_

"_Good idea. Look, just over there in the corner is a nice spot."_

_Dropping his arm, Dante leads me over to the right corner of the hall, closest to the exit door. Pulling a chair out, Dante gestures for me to sit down, and then pulls a chair up for himself._

_Looking over his shoulder, he chuckles and turns back to me, "Nice choice of seating, for a quick escape, ey?" _

"_No, it was just the closest," I reply smiling at him. Dante chuckles and rolls his eyes at me. _

_Looking through the crowd, I spot my parents talking animatedly with Mr and Mrs Amicus, Dante's parents. _

"_They're conspiring against us," Dante mutters into my ear with a grin._

"_Well, isn't it lucky that arranged marriages were outlawed last century," I laugh. _

"_So lucky," he replies, laughing with me._

"_Dante, can I ask you a question?"_

"_Um, yeah sure," he replies, leaning his head to the side._

"_So far, I have chosen a carrier pilot, ballistics and mechanic expert, a sharpshooter and a mission tactics and navigating expert. I was wondering if you would, um, be my crystal mage and expert," I ask, while fidgeting frantically._

_A wide grin nearly splits his face in half, "Hell yeah, Phoenix! I would love to, why in the Atmos didn't you ask sooner?"_

"_Well, I was kind of worried that you would say no," I shrug. _

_Dante shakes his head at me, still smiling. "I know it's kind of against the rules before the official announcement, but who have you chosen for the rest of the squad?"_

"_I really shouldn't say, but seeing as you are one of us now, I guess it couldn't hurt," I say, winking conspiratorially at him, "Our carrier pilot is Kyriessa, Maybella is our mission tactics and navigation expert, Ranyaan is the sharp shooter and our ballistics and mechanic expert is Luca."_

"_What about your co-pilot?" Dante asks._

"_I haven't given that any thought at all. I don't really need one, do I?"_

"_It couldn't hurt, but I guess it's not entirely necessary as long as you're competent to fly on your own," he grins at me._

"_If it comes to me needing a co-pilot, then you can do it, I'm not going through another bunch of application forms again."_

"_You're going to work me to the bone, aren't you?"_

"_Only if you deserve it," I grin at him._

"_I think your parents have welcomed nearly everybody, they're heading over this way," Dante points out._

"_Please don't let them embarrass me with any speeches, Dante," I plead._

"_See, I told you that you would need me to protect you someday," he laughs at me._

"_Curse upon you Dante Amicus," I narrow my eyes at him playfully as my parents draw near._

"_Phoenix, the guests are all settled in now, time to start the celebrations!" my mother exclaims excitedly. _

"_Well, I guess the music should start, what's a party without music?" I say unenthusiastically._

"_Good idea, sweetheart, I'll tell the band to start playing," mother says before shuffling off through the throng of people to the far left corner of the hall. _

_No sooner than mother disappears, the band starts playing and the hall is filled with music. _

"_I'm going to get a dance with your mother before anybody else does," father informs me, and then adds, "Behave you two." Then he disappears to find mum._

"_I like this music, it makes me feel like we're back in the ancient times," I say absentmindedly._

"_It feels exactly like that, doesn't it?" Comes a familiar voice from behind me._

_Turning around, my eyes are met with a mess of burgundy-red hair and shining green eyes._

"_Aerrow! What are you doing here?" I exclaim, jumping out of my chair to throw my arms around him._

"_Dante invited us," Aerrow grins in his direction. Dante returns his grin, but not as wholeheartedly. _

"_I'm so happy you're here, where are the others?"_

"_They'll catch up. So, I hear you are now Phoenix Emeraldia, Sky Knight and Energy Caster. Quite a long title, isn't it?" Aerrow says jokingly._

"_Yeah, something like that. Why don't you go say hi to my parent's, I'm sure they'll be ecstatic to see you," I say._

"_Good idea, we can catch up later, if your mum and dad ever let me leave the conversation," he laughs._

_Aerrow walks off to find my parents, leaving Dante and I alone once more._

"_He wants you," Dante says, his voice monotone._

"_Don't be stupid, Dante, he's as good a friend to me as you are," I say frowning at him. _Best friends shouldn't date, the friendship will disintegrate into nothingness, _I add on as an afterthought to myself._

"_I know it's not my place to say who you should and shouldn't date, but I just don't want some asshole hurting you. You're my oldest and best friend, and even though I have known Aerrow nearly as long, I don't think it would be a good idea to…"_

"_Who said I was ever going to date Aerrow?" I snap, cutting his sentence short._

"_Hey, I was only pointing out that if you ever did decide to date Aerrow, that it wouldn't be a good idea because of the distance and the fact that you're in different squads," Dante says, holding his hands up as a surrender. _

"_Well, that's never going to happen, I don't have time for relationships anyway."_

_Seemingly pleased with my answer, Dante smirks at me then leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. _

"_So, now that you're a Sky Knight and I'm in your squadron, does that mean you get to boss me around all the time," he asks._

"_Yep and there's nothing you can do about it," I whisper and poke my tongue out at him._

_Leaning back in his chair, Dante stretches and relaxes as the band start to play a familiar song. _

"_Isn't this one of your favourites?" He asks._

"_Yes, it is," I smile, listening to the beautiful notes of the cello._

"_Dance with me."_

"_What? I don't dance, you know that."_

_Dante simply smiles, stands up, and bows low in front of me, raising his head to look me in the eye, "Dane with me?"_

"_Fine, but if either of us end up with a twisted ankle, it's your fault," I laugh at him._

_Placing my right hand in Dante's outstretched left hand, he pulls me to my feet and leads me into the crowd of other dancers, twirling me once, then wrapping his arm around my waist as I place my hand on his shoulder._

"_This is probably a bad idea, Dante, I can't dance," I giggle._

"_Don't worry, I won't let you fall," He whispers as he pulls me closer, and begins to spins us around. A delighted squeal escapes my lips as Dante continues to spin us around the dance floor, narrowly missing the other dancers, some who stop to watch us. On one of the countless revolutions, I spot mum, dad and Aerrow, watching us with wide smiles on their faces, so I smile back and wave with my free hand. _

_We continue to dance; Dante occasionally tips me back and leans down so his hair tickles my forehead and I have to blow it off my face, and every time he does this, he grins cheekily at me, making me giggle. _

"_You are extremely lucky that you're my favourite person in the Atmos, otherwise, I would still be sitting over there in the corner," I say quietly, leaning into him as the pace of the song changes to a slower, melodic rhythm._

"_I am lucky, aren't I?" he replies, chuckling quietly. We dance slowly until the song finishes, then we head back over to our chairs in the corner and sit once more._

"_I hope you enjoyed that, because it's never happening again," I chuckle._

"_That's entirely ok; I'm glad it was I who had the privilege of having your one and only dance," Dante winks at me._

"_Oh, you're a lady killer," I joke._

"_You know, they're virtually hanging off me, no girl …"_

"_Alright, that's enough, I don't need to hear how all the girls are no match for the Dantinator," I cut his sentence short, rolling my eyes. _

"_All right, I'll stop, but I can't help it if I'm irresistible."_

"_Please, stop talking already, you're starting to sound like Finn," I say, raising my eyebrows._

"_Speaking of which, the rest of the Storm Hawks showed up while we were dancing," Dante interjects._

"_Oh? I didn't even notice."_

"_Let's go and catch up with them."_

"_Sure."_

_We walk over to where the rest of the Storm Hawks are talking with Aerrow and my parents, and join in the conversation. _

_The day has passed and the twilight is upon us as the sun sits low on the horizon, casting golden rays through the windows of the hall, illuminating the faces of everyone. The time has come for the tradition of traditions, one that has not been performed in centuries; I must demonstrate my Energy Casting powers to their full extent. Feeling nervous, with all eyes in the room on me, I take a deep breath and catching my glance, Mr Rantyll smiles encouragingly at me. I step up onto the small platform in the middle of the human circle that surrounds me and smoothing my ceremonial dress, begin to gather up the energies from the centre of my being. Letting the power build up, I stretch my arms out and allow my aura to engulf me, slowly resonating outwards in tiny ripples. _

_As is the tradition, the person closest to me who is not blood related must stand in front of me and hold my hands while everyone else must hold hands in the circle. Meeting his gaze, Dante gives me an encouraging smile as he walks forward out of the circle to stand in front of me. Lowering my arms to my side, I take a deep breath and start chanting the ancient words of Energy Casters._

"_Postestatem. Prasinus. Smaragdus."_

_Repeating the chant, my aura grows stronger, slowly moving outwards until it is just touching Dante. As soon as it makes contact, I place my hands in his and we both chant together._

"_Postestatem. Prasinus. Smaragdus."_

_Dante and I continue to chant until my aura is engulfing the both of us completely, and then chant the next four words._

"_Natius. Impigritas. Manus. Animus."_

_We chant until my energy is nearly touching everyone else. Upon contact, everybody joins hands and begins to chant with us._

"_Natius. Impigritas. Manus. Animus. Natius. Impigritas. Manus. Animus. Natius. Impigritas. Manus. Animas."_

_The chorus of monotone voices echo around the hall. Upon the third chant, Dante and I resume our original chant._

"_Postestatem. Prasinus. Smaragdus."_

_The energies combined from everyone in the circle feeds into my casting energy making it grow stronger, and deeper in colour. I focus on projecting and trying to make it stronger while attempting to not exert myself too much. _

Okay, now for the hard part, _I think to myself as I take a deep breath, preparing for the next feat. Reining my aura back in so it is only surrounding Dante and myself, the circle of people lower their voices to whispers and the two of us change our chant once again._

"_Volito. Praevelo," Dante and I begin to chant slightly louder than everyone else. _

_Continuing our chant, I block out the other voices and concentrate on levitating both Dante and myself. I focus until I feel that the energy has built up enough then let it out. The light emitted from my aura brightens the room and I feel my feet leaving the platform on which I was standing, and the full weight of Dante as we rise into the air slowly. We continue to float upwards until our feet are at the height of everyone else's heads and I stop chanting, while Dante and everyone else continues. I concentrate on keeping us in the air for as long as possible before I feel the built up energy diminishing. Using the last of my strength, slowly, I begin to descend, being careful to place Dante's feet on the ground before my own as my aura dissipates completely. As my feet make contact with the platform again, everyone ceases chanting and falls silent, their eyes all upon me and Dante, expecting the next and last part of the ceremony. _

Great, now I have to sing, _I think to myself, already feeling embarrassed. _

_Raising my arms again so that the sleeves look like drooping wings, the circle begins to vocalize softly. I take a deep breath and begin the short song of the ancients._

"_Suaviolum gena ocellus," I harmonize the words in time with the voices of the circle, drawing each syllable out and raising the pitch of my voice as needed. _

I'm so freaking glad that I will never ever have to do this again, _I think to myself, feeling my heart racing from my nerves. Taking a step back and turning sideways, I continue to sing as Dante joins me on the platform. Keeping my arms out to the side, Dante and I sink to our knees, facing each other. Closing my eyes, I bring my arms in to rest in my lap and continue to harmonize the three-word song two more times before the circle take over singing and I begin to vocalize harmoniously and Dante begins to hum along. Over the choir of voices, I can hear him shuffling closer on his knees until they are touching my own. Being so connected to him in this moment, I can detect nearly every small movement that he makes, even with my eyes closed. _

_Very slowly, he leans down, so I can feel the air being exhaled from his nose as he plants a soft chaste kiss in the middle of my forehead. The singing around us gets louder as he moves his head down first to my right eye and plants another soft kiss on my eyelid. Again, the singing gets even louder as he moves to my left eye to do the same. As soon as his lips touch my eyelid, the choir erupts into a deafening volume and stops suddenly when Dante's lips leave my eyelid. Still Harmonizing softly, and Dante still humming, I finish the song quietly and bow my head. The hall is dead silent as Dante stands up, lifting me to my feet gracefully. _

_I open my eyes and, taking hold of Dante's hand, we bow low. Stepping down from the platform, I stride over to mum and dad who are looking at me in complete awe, mum with tears in her eyes. Taking me off guard, they both envelop me in their arms, hugging me tightly._

"_Oh, I'm so proud of you darling," mum cries._

"_Thanks mum. That was so exhausting," I reply._

"_To display such power at such a young age, that was remarkable, Phoenix," my father says proudly._

"_Well, I had a great teacher, I guess," I smile, looking over the faces of everyone, trying to find Mr Rantyll. I spot him and his face lights up as he rushes over to us. My parents release me from their grasp and step back as he approaches. _

"_Phoenix, my dear! Oh how graceful you are and your voice! Oh, your voice is absolutely angelic; I have never heard such beautiful singing in all my life. You are the true definition of Emeraldia. You will do great things for the Atmos, child," Mr Rantyll babbles, a giant grin on his face._

"_I have you to thank for helping me control my power, Mr Rantyll. Without your training I probably would not have even been able to get myself off the ground, let alone both myself and Dante," I smile up at him. He is so happy all the time, it's infectious, what a great person to be around. _

"_If you ever need anything, dear Phoenix, just let me know and I shall help with all my might," he beams at me. _

"_Thank you Mr Rantyll," I reply._

"_So polite! Please call me by my first name; Corvus," he winks at me._

"_Oh, okay, Mr Rant- Corvus," I correct myself, "Wait a minute, Corv…"_

_Before I can finish my sentence, he has disappeared into the crowd without a trace. _

Corvus? No, he's old, but not that old, besides, his last name isn't even Emeraldia, _I think to myself, bewildered._

"_Honey, it's time for you to announce your Squadron," my mum says, breaking my chain of thought._

"_Okay, mum. Could you gather everyone's attention?"_

"_Sure thing, sweetheart."_

_Walking to the front of the hall, my mother picks up a glass and taps it with a silver knife; making high-pitched ringing sound throughout the room and making all heads turn to her._

"_Attention everyone, the moment has arrived for my beautiful daughter to announce the new Sky Knight squadron of Emeraldia," she beams, and then looks directly at me, "Step up here, sweetie, we're all eager to meet the new squadron."_

Thanks for not embarrassing me, mum.

_Walking up to the front of the room to where my mother is standing, I turn to face the crowd and clear my throat. Mum scurries back into the crowd and I begin a short speech._

"_Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to announce the names and positions of the new Sky-Green Breezes. They are as follows; Carrier Pilot – Kyriessa Aduas. Navigation and Tactics Expert – Maybella Rystan. Sharpshooter – Ranyaan Deltrin. Ballistics and Mechanic Specialist – Luca Strullus and finally, Crystal Mage and Expert – Dante Amicus," I finish rattling off the names and positions of my new squad then say, "Terra Emeraldia's Sky Knight Squadron, please make your way to the front and stand proud with me." _

_I spot the faces of my new team members as they make their way to the front of the stage. Dante is the first to reach me, taking his spot by my right side as the others reach us. Standing straight, we all salute and a massive round of applause meets my ears, nearly sending me deaf._

"_These are the faces of the bravest, most talented squadron in all of Atmos; The Sky-Green Breezes!" I declare, smiling widely, and winking at Aerrow when I catch him poking his tongue out at me. Again, my ears are met with another round of applause. When the applause dies down, I clear my throat and speak, "I thank each and every one of you for attending this special day, and as exhausted as I am, it was worth every bit of energy I had to offer. The traditional ceremony is finished, and now you have all seen the faces of your new Squadron, It is time for me to retire for the night, as I have a lot of training to do tomorrow. I thank you once again, and bid you all good night."_

_Draping an arm around my shoulder, Dante leads me through the crowd to the doors on the other side of the hall. Stepping through the exit, the cool evening breeze hits my face, making me shiver slightly._

"_Cold?" Dante asks._

"_No, it's quite lovely out here, better than the warm temperature inside," I reply sleepily._

"_That was some party, wasn't it?"_

"_Yeah, I'm glad I never have to do it again."_

"_I bet," he chuckles. _

_Yawning widely, I lean into Dante and relax a little as his arm tightens around my shoulders._

"_We should wait here, I want to catch up with Aerrow and the others," I say quietly._

"_Sure. Come over here," Dante replies, and leads me to a seat at the front of the building. I sit down and sigh quietly._

"_I can't wait to change out of this damn dress," I complain. _

"_I think it looks good on you," he laughs._

"_It's heavy, I don't like it."_

"_Yeah, I don't like wearing dresses either," He jokes. _

"_Shut up, idiot," I giggle._

"_Ouch, you're so mean to me, I thought that I was your favourite person in all of Atmos," he says with mock indignation. _

"_You are my favourite, but you're an idiot too; my favourite idiot," I reply sleepily._

_Dante chuckles and doesn't say anything else._

_I'm nearly falling asleep, when Dante shifts, causing my eyes to flutter open._

"_Phoenix?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_I was wondering, um,-" _

"_Phoenix, hi!" I hear Piper's voice behind me and turn around to greet her._

"_Hey, Piper, how are you, it's been so long since we've seen each other," I say brightly._

"_I've been great! Oh, that ceremony was absolutely beautiful! I never thought that I would ever see that, ever!" She says excitedly._

"_It was something else, wasn't it?"_

"_That it was," Aerrow says, as he appears next to Piper. _

"_Hey Aerrow," I smile at him._

"_You look beautiful," he says, making me blush._

"_Um, thanks. How has everyone been lately?" I reply, changing the subject._

"_Everyone's going great. Finn is still the same as ever and all the rest. I'd love to stick around longer, but we have something to get done at Terra Atmosia," He shrugs apologetically._

"_That's fine, I'm just glad I got to see you guys today. Tell the others that I said hello and all that."_

"_Sure will. Well, we really have to get going, gotta keep to Piper's schedule," He says and Piper makes a face at him._

"_It was really good to see you," I say, smiling at them both. _

_Before turning to leave, Aerrow gives me a big hug, taking me somewhat off guard. I spot a sour look on Dante's face and cringe slightly. Aerrow lets go and waves as he and Piper head off down the road. _

_I walk back over to Dante and sit down beside him again, letting out a deep breath. _

"_What was that look about?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him._

"_What look?"_

"_You know what I'm talking about; when Aerrow hugged me."_

"_I thought a moth flew into my mouth, it bugged me out," he replies, smiling._

"_If you say so," I say, then remember that he was going to say something earlier before Piper showed up, "What were you going say before?"_

"_Oh, nothing important, just that if it's okay with you, I've already cleared it with your parents, if I stay over tonight so we can go to training together tomorrow."_

"_Sure, a slumber party sound fun, we can braid each other's hair," I laugh._

"_Very funny," he says, rolling his eyes, "Do you want to wait for your parents, or just get home?"_

"_I'm sure they can manage without me, let's get going," I reply._

"_Alright."_

_We begin walking down the road, back to my house quietly._

"_Dante, I'm glad that you're my best friend, I never want to lose you," I say quietly._

_Dante chuckles and replies, "Don't worry, I'll always be around to protect and annoy."_

"_Good."_

* * *

"Phoenix, wake up! Are you okay? Phoenix!"

I'm being shaken awake, my eyes flutter open to a mess of burgundy-red hair and anxious green eyes.

"Aerrow? What?" I ask.

"You passed out," he explains.

"Oh. Yeah. Flashback," I mutter.

"Bad one?"

"N-no, it was…a happy memory," I reply, furrowing my brow.

"Happy?"

"Yes, my 15 birthday…" My sentence fades away.

"If it was happy, why do you look so upset?" He asks anxiously.

"He promised," I whisper, feeling a lump form in my throat.

"Who?"

"Dante…He promised to always be there. He broke that promise," I whisper as my voice cracks and a few tears escape my eyes, falling freely down my face.

Aerrow moves to my side and wraps an arm around my shoulders in an attempt to comfort me.

"Don't cry, Phoenix," Aerrow says quietly.

I stay silent, letting the tears fall without shame, as I sit there and curse the day that I was born.

"You should get some rest while you still can," Aerrow murmurs softly.

I look down and see that I am sitting on my bed, so I lie down, facing the wall. Closing my eyes, I pull my blankets around me tight and drift off into another unpleasant sleep with Aerrow beside me.

* * *

**Aaaaaan that's it for this chapter, I shall upload the next one as soon as I can, so just hang tight XD Reviews would be lovely :D**


	17. Little Birdie

Chapter Seventeen

Jolting awake from my recurring nightmare, I let out the breath I was holding in, and blink in the bright light flooding through my window.

"Will this nightmare ever stop?" I mutter to myself, as I shake the image of The Dark ace from my mind. Throwing back the covers, I slide out of bed and wobble slightly when I stand up straight, clutching my head.

"Oh, right. Fainting plus desk equals sore head," I murmur, as I feel the lump. Looking over at my clock, I am shocked at the time, "Damn it, I was supposed to get things done today. I hope the others waited for me."

After quickly getting changed, I make my way to the hanger. When I get there, the only rides are Stork's buggy and my Skimmer so I retreat to the helm in search of Stork.

Making a swooshing noise, the metal doors open and I step through to the helm where Stork is tapping the console with a spanner. The metal on metal makes a clashing sound, so I have to cover my ears as I walk closer to him, cringing each time he brings the spanner down upon the console.

"Stork!" I yell over the noise, "What the hell are you doing?"

Turning around quickly, he thrusts the spanner in my face, only just missing my nose by centimetres; I jump back in fright.

"They're everywhere!" He yells as his eye twitches.

"What are?"

"Engine bugs. They eat through the acceleration and brake lines. And they're invisible," He screeches and his eye twitches again.

"Okay…well, how do you know whether you're hitting them if they're invisible, Stork?"

"Oh, well…I don't. I could be getting them though," he mutters.

"When did the others leave?" I ask.

"About two hours ago, Aerrow didn't want to wake you."

"That would be right, Phoenix has a flashback and suddenly is incapable of doing anything for a day or two," I mutter petulantly.

"It could be worse," Stork says as he raises a finger, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah it probably could," I reply, sighing. _Well, I could go and find them, and then tell Aerrow off for not waking me up when he should have, _I think to myself.

I make my way back to the hanger and start up my Skimmer, slowly guiding it to the door. Flicking the communications switch, I tell Stork to open the doors. As the doors open, I rev my engine once then accelerate forward out of the condor.

* * *

I'm slowly riding through the crowded streets of Atmosia - being careful not to run anyone over - looking for Aerrow and the others. The market place is bustling with many busy Atmosians and various stalls of all kinds.

"Where could you be, Aerrow," I mutter to myself as I look around. I'm going to have to go on foot; there is no way I can ride through this thickening crowd. Spotting a free parking space, I carefully guide my skimmer to a stop and switch off the ignition, pocketing the key. I reach into the compartment holding my bag, grasp it and begin to walk down the street.

I have walked about five blocks, and still no sign of Aerrow. I remember Piper informing me that he wanted to pick up spare parts for the rides, so I continue on to one of the few mechanic shops that Aerrow favours.

"I hope he's there," I think aloud.

I make a left turn and head down an alley, leading to the street that _James' Rides & Repairs _is located, and walk through to the other side.

_Strange, _I think to myself, _where is everyone? They cannot all be in the main market place, can they?_

Suddenly becoming over cautious, I look around me in all directions, spotting no one, even the stores lining the street on either side appear to be empty. I take a tentative step forward and am immediately startled by my own reflection in a shop window.

"Fucking idiot," I scold myself, angrily.

I gaze at my reflection for a moment, taking note that my hair has grown down past my waist.

_Mum likes my hair long. _The thought comes unbidden into my mind, making me forget for a second, why I am here. Continuing to gaze at my reflection, I find my eyes gazing upon themselves; they look hollow, emotionless…dark.

_Just like the Dark Ace's, _my subconscious sneers. I shake my head violently, trying to rid that terrible thought, just as my ears pick up the sound of Skimmers hurtling down the street.

My head whips around to the source of the noise, and I see that they are Switchblades, not Skimmers. I dash back around the corner into the alleyway, as they near, riding unnecessarily fast down this quiet street.

"Shit!" I mutter, hoping that they did not see me.

The engines grow louder and a second later, they streak past, the gust from their speed blowing my hair about my face, into my eyes. "What the hell are Cyclonians doing here?"

When I feel that the coast is clear, I emerge from the alley, looking around once again and stride down the footpath in the opposite direction of the Talons. I would be willing to bet anything that they just came from the exact place that I'm heading.

As I near the mechanic, I can hear the sounds of metal against metal. Walking through the roller door, I spot James under a skimmer, banging away. Striding over to the counter, I ring the bell loudly to gain his attention.

He starts and rolls out from under the ride, and jumps to his feet like a scared cat.

"Oh, it's just you," He replies, obviously relieved.

"Hello, James," I say, my tone flat.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm looking for someone," I reply just as flatly as before.

"Aerrow, I assume. Heh, well he was here earlier, picked up some new model after burners and a few other bits," he states, wiping his brow.

"How long ago? I was supposed to tag along, but they left me on the Condor to sleep."

"Well," his eyes dart around as he wipes grease from his hands with a dirty rag, "I'd say at least three hours, he was in and out pretty quick."

"I see," I say, changing my tone of voice, "Getting much business lately, James?"

"As much as I can expect," he replies, his voice giving off the tone of severe caution.

Changing tact, I walk closer to him and examine the ride he was working on.

"You know, I saw the most peculiar thing just now," I say absentmindedly.

"Really, now? And what might that be? This street is deserted today."

"Talons, James. Two of the filthy bastards hurtling down the street."

"T-talons? What would they be doing in Atmosia?" James stutters as he wrings the dirty rag in his hands.

"That, James, is what I was hoping you could tell me," I say, looking him straight in the eye.

"I have no idea, Phoenix, really, I don't." His pupils dilate as he wrings the rag more frantically than before.

"I used to know you, James. What ever happened?"

"I'm still me, love. Just a bit more greasy, but me nonetheless," he gives me an unconvincing smile.

This is going nowhere; I am just going to have to force the information out of him. "James, why are you letting Cyclonians into your business?"

"Phoenix, come on! Do you think that I would serve dirty talons?"

"Just stop lying. You have never been good at that. Now tell me what the hell is going on, because I can see something really has you jumpy," I demand.

"Okay," he puts his hands up in surrender, "My business had been failing and then one day The Dark Ace just strolls in and demands that I do some work on Talon Switchblades. I couldn't say no, I mean, I really couldn't."

"The Dark Ace?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell him to just shove it piss off?"

James stares at me, an incredulous look on his face.

"Tell The Dark Ace to piss off? The most feared and dangerous man in the Atmos to piss off? Are you insane, he would have killed me. He has a hold over me, I have to do it," James says, a pained look in his eyes.

"What do you mean, 'a hold over you'?" I ask, furrowing my brow.

"Iva," he whispers.

_Well, shit, _I think to myself shocked.

"Your sister?"

"Yes, my sister. They are keeping her hostage on one of the deserted Terras near here. He told me as long as I keep working for him, he won't kill her. You've got to help me Phoenix," he pleads.

"Don't worry, I'll get her back. If they have as much as even touched one hair on her head, I will kill them all myself. I'll go now, and get her back for you," I say as my stomach drops.

"No! You can't go now, they will know that I've talked and kill Iva, the Talons that were here earlier know the Storm Hawks are here. Shit, what's the time?" He looks over at the clock behind the counter and his face falls.

"What?"

"Fuck," he whispers, then looks at me, "Hide under the counter, you should fit, and don't make a sound."

"Why?" I ask, cocking my head to the side.

"Shut up and just fucking hide, Phoenix!" He says, his voice a raised whisper.

Alright, I will humour him. I walk over to behind the counter and crouch down, sliding into the small space, being careful not to make a sound. Moments later, I hear the sound of a ride skidding to a stop out the front of the shop, and James resuming the banging on the skimmer he was working on. There is a small gap in the wood, so I shift slightly to get a better view of what is going on. Hearing footsteps, my eyes travel to the source of the noise, and are met with the sight of black boots walking towards the counter. They stop just clear enough for my eyes to catch a glimpse of who it is, as he rings the bell.

_Well, well, well, if it isn't the man of your dreams, _my subconscious pipes up.

_Shut up brain, now is not the time for your shit, _I think, trying hard not to vocalize my thoughts.

The bell rings again, and I hear James shuffling about, then see him standing in front of The Dark Ace.

"Dark Ace. To what do I owe the pleasure?" He says timidly.

"Save the courtesies," The Dark Ace snaps, "Is it ready?"

"N-nearly, I just need a little more time, say one week, tops."

"You're going to make me wait another week for new fucking wing blades?"

"Please, you must take into account that I have other rides to repair and upgrade, besides your own, Dark Ace," James says in a small voice.

"Three days."

"What?"

"You have three days to finish, after that, your precious sister will taste the metal of my sword as I slice her throat," The Dark Ace snarls menacingly.

_Poor James, _I think to myself, as I am hit by slight nausea at the thought of Iva being murdered.

"NO, for the love of Atmos, please, have some mercy. I couldn't possibly finish blading your wings by then, it's a lot of work for just one person," James pleads, his voice beginning to crack.

"I suggest that if you ever want to see you sister-,"

The Dark Ace stops talking when my foot slips, making a soft thud on the wood. Immediately, his eyes dart to where my foot made impact.

_Fuck. _I hold my breath, not making any sound.

"Is someone here?"

"No, it was just the cat," James says as his face fills with worry.

"The cat? You actually have a cat?" The Dark Ace asks in an ironic tone.

"Y-yes, I do, as a matter of fact, she likes to hang around here when I'm working."

"Are you sure it was just," Dark Ace's eyes find the hole in which I have been peering through, narrowing slightly, "_the cat?"_

I'm dead still, not moving a single muscle, not even blinking.

"I can assure you, it was just the cat. Look, here she is," James points to the counter.

I hear a soft meow then see the cat as it jumps down off the counter to James' side, hissing at Dark Ace.

_He actually has a cat? That was too lucky, _I think to myself, as I quietly let out my breath.

"Now as I was saying before. I suggest that if you ever want to see your sister alive again, you will finish this. You have until this time in three days. If it's not done, then, goodbye little sister."

The Dark Ace walks away, leaving James in a state of despair. I have to help the poor bastard. When I hear the sound of the switchblade taking off, I feel it safe to come out of my hiding place. I walk over to James and put my hand on his shoulder.

"I'll get her back for you, but in the meantime, let me have a look at that bastard's ride, maybe I can help," I say quietly.

"What am I going to do?" He whispers, his voice thick with the despair that is etched onto his face.

"You just focus on getting that ride finished, and I will get Iva. Now show me the ride."

"It's just through here."

James leads the way out the back of the shop, through a roller door. Sitting in the middle of the room we have just walked into is The Dark Ace's Switchblade Elite with its wings out. Stacked neatly in a pile in the far right corner are brand new, latest model wing blades.

"This is a job for at least two people, the blades are heavy, and extremely sharp, even just touching the cutting edge will slice you open. I've only been able to attach half of them, and I started a week ago."

"Have you removed all the old blades?" I ask him.

"I've been trying to, but the amount of continuous damage this ride has sustained has made the bolts and screws virtually a part of the main wing structure. I've tried to get them off, but it's useless."

"Don't worry, I can get it," I say, and then walk over to the Switchblade, eyeing it dispassionately.

Looking down at the left set of wings, I can see that the screws have literally become moulded into the wing frames. This might not be as easy as I thought.

"Alright, James, I will be able to get these out, but the main wing structure may become slightly damaged. Do you think perhaps you could repair it quickly?"

"Sure, I'll go get my welder."

He scurries out into the main workshop and I begin to concentrate on my energy to get the screws and bolts out. Holding my hand over the first screw, I visualize it coming out. Sure enough, after enough concentration, it starts to come out, making a screeching noise as it does. When it is free, it drops to the ground with a _ping. _I do this for the rest of the screws and they all come out making pinging sounds as they hit the floor. As the last screw falls, the old blade crashes down, making a deafening _clang_ as it makes contact with the floor. James walks back in, wheeling his welder behind him.

"Done. You're going to have to weld up the old holes and drill new ones, after that, I can position the new blades and you can fasten them," I state.

"Sure thing."

"I'll wait out here, I hate the smell of welding fumes. Come and get me when you're done, okay?"

"I can't thank you enough for helping me out, Phoenix. I really mean it. Thanks to you, Iva might not be killed."

"Save the thanks for when she's back, James," I reply, "Just get that done, the sooner, the better."

With that, I walk back out into the main workshop and take a seat behind the counter, sighing as I do so.

_Iva…I hope you are okay, _I think to myself as I place my head in my hands. So, now, on top of coming up with plans to infiltrate Cyclonia, I am going to have to conduct a rescue mission as well. Maybe things would be easier if I did not know these people personally. Maybe I wouldn't care at all. Maybe I should just become a Talon.

_Have you lost your mind? Why are you thinking like this? Stop it! Bad Phoenix, bad! _My subconscious screams at me. The brain will stand corrected; I am not losing my mind, and besides, it is my brain that thinks this shit up all the time. All I am is a walking contradiction, hell, maybe even bi-polar to some degree, but everyone at least once has questioned his or her good side, right?

I am brought out of my internal argument by the sounds of drilling. Good, he must nearly be done, and then I can help upgrade that piece of scum's ride and get the hell out of here.

I look around the shop, seeing about seven dismantled and damaged rides awaiting repair and think about who they might belong to. I spot James walking over to me, so I stand up and head over to him.

"Finished already?" I ask.

"Yeah, the new blades are ready for positioning," he replies, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Good, let's get this done."

* * *

We are standing out the front of James' shop after attaching the new wing blades to The Dark Ace's Switchblade, saying our goodbyes.

"Honestly James, if it wouldn't put you or your sister in danger, I would have destroyed that bastard's ride altogether."

"I would like to do the same, but I can't do anything. I can barely leave my house anymore without the fear that I might get killed or worse," he mutters his reply.

"I _will _get Iva back safe, don't worry."

"Thank you. I am truly sorry. I feel like I am betraying Atmosia."

"I don't blame you, James, it's not your fault," I say kindly, then reach into my bag and pull out a message crystal, "I have to get going and pick a few things up, but I will contact you with this. Keep it hidden. I will only call late at night when I think it's safe, okay."

"Do what you have to do, just bring back my little sister," he whispers.

I nod my head, and then walk away, back down the street. Turning into the alleyway, I cannot help but feel like I am being watched. I feel the hairs on my arms stand on end as a wave of goose bumps hit me. I stop dead in my tracks and place my hands on my knees, taking a deep breath.

"Get a grip, you're just being a little paranoid," I tell myself.

"Rightfully so," a voice growls from behind me.

My heart rate spikes and my breathing stops. Standing straight again, I stare dead ahead, not turning to see who it is; I already know. I swallow and resume breathing, trying to keep it steady as footsteps stop right behind me.

The voice then begins to sing in a menacing tone, "Sweet little birdie, pretty little birdie, have you lost your home? Lost little birdie, scared little birdie, where have you to go?"

I cringe and fight the bile that is rising in my throat, as his mouth is at my ear.

"If you don't try to kill me, I won't kill you," I say, trying not to let my voice quiver.

He chuckles next to my ear, sending unpleasant shivers down my spine, and causing another wave of goose bumps to cover me.

"Oh, I'm not going to try and kill you, little birdie, Master wouldn't want that."

"Then why have you stalked me in an alley?" I ask.

"Curiosity."

"Well, curiosity killed the cat," I reply, my fear melting away, being replaced with anger and hate.

"And cats, it would seem, aren't the only things that like to hang around _James' Rides & Repairs_," he growls.

_Well, it was nice talking to you, but I should get going, _my subconscious whispers. No, I will stand my ground; I want to find out what this asshole wants.

"Seems like that, doesn't it, Dark Ace?" I growl back.

"Now what would a little Storm Hawk like you, be doing at a grease monkey's parlour?"

"I was simply visiting an old friend, Dark Ace. Might I ask you the same," I challenge.

"I'm sure you know by now. So tell me, how my trusty ride is coming along?" he drawls.

"It's just marvellous. I tell you, those screws were a pain to get out, but it is quite well and finished," I state, not being able to help but feel slightly proud.

"I see. And I am to understand that you didn't sabotage it in any way?"

I half snort, half laugh and reply with, "Sabotage my favourite murderous enemies ride? I'm shocked that you think that about me, Dark Ace."

My humour must be getting under his skin, because I hear the crackle of energy then in a split second the heat of it at my throat.

_Shit, crap, fuck, shit! _Is all that goes through my mind.

"Okay, take it easy, Talon. Your ride is fine, and finished, but only because of Iva," I say as my throat goes dry.

"Good, now if you would stay out of what doesn't concern you, that would be great, Birdie," he says and I can practically hear the smirk in his words.

"It would also be great if you stopped murdering my friends, but I don't see that happening any time soon," I retort defiantly.

Letting the energy die away, he presses the cutting edge of his sword against my throat. "I should kill you right now, you silly girl."

"What would your master say if you did, silly Talon?" I challenge.

He growls and pulls his blade away from my throat, taking a step back. I quickly turn around to face him, and see that his sword is in its sheath on his back.

"Is Iva still alive?"

"Yes, she is. Now stay away, if you attempt to rescue her, I will kill her and make sure you are there to watch, just like with your parents," he snarls menacingly. A wave of nausea hits me, and I have to take a deep breath to keep from vomiting.

"I don't beg, but I will ask you as one human being to another; please don't kill her. Let Iva return home to James. I don't approve in any way of him helping you, but if it saves both their lives then so be it. He is already intimidated enough, you don't need to take his family away from him too, Dark Ace," I say, staring into his crimson eyes.

"And why should I grant your request?" he asks simply.

"Because we will be meeting again soon, and if I were you, I wouldn't want to be on my bad side when we do," I say dangerously quiet.

A look of slight confusion washes over his face for a moment before he replies, "I don't know what you have planned, but just to humour you, I will let the girl return home. And as for this future meeting, I wait in anticipation, little birdie."

"Thank you," I say, when I cannot fight my politeness any longer.

"Sky Knights, always so fucking noble, you people make me sick," Dark Ace mutters with contempt.

"Likewise," I mutter back.

"I must get going, little Birdie, so, until next time, I eagerly await your witticisms," he says in a bored voice.

"I too, cannot wait to have cold steel against my throat," I roll my eyes at him.

Shaking his head, he pulls his Energy Sword from its sheath and takes a quick step towards me, holding the blade to my throat for the second time, as he moves to my side.

_Okay, keep your humour to yourself, idiot!_ My subconscious shrieks.

"Now, I might not be able to kill you, but I can still inflict pain upon you," he snarls.

"It wouldn't be the first time," I mutter, "I thought you had to be somewhere? Or would you prefer to stay here and continue our lovely little conversation? Or is this the only way anybody will talk to you; with you holding a sword to their throat?" _What is wrong with me? I keep pissing him off, and I cannot help it…It's amusing me, which is even worse._

"Try my patience, Birdie, I beg you, just keep going, and see how far you can push before I go over the edge," he snarls into my ear.

"I would love to, but you should put your toy away so I can go do the things I need to do," I state.

"One day Master Cyclonis will tire of trying to make you join Cyclonia, and when that day comes, I will gladly dispose you, Phoenix Emeraldia," Dark Ace whispers.

"Not to worry, I will welcome you like an old friend. Honestly, you would be doing me a great favour if you were to take my life. But then again, I would have to take you down with me, so, it's a kind of 'I win, you lose' scenario."

"I prefer…Power struggle. Now, if you are quite done, I shall see you whenever it is that you have predicted we meet."

Removing the blade once again, he places it back in its sheath and disappears out of sight.

_Well, that could not have been stranger_, I think to myself, relieved that The Dark Ace is gone out of sight. I half walk, half run all the way back to where my ride is parked and get on it, fumbling in my pocket for the key. When I find it, I pull it out and jam it into the ignition, turning it quickly and taking off…slowly.

_Damn these people! There are too many in the way for me to take off. _

I ride slowly until I see a clear stretch of road, and make for it. When I reach it, I speed up and take off, flying back to the Condor. I flick my communications switch, and yell over the roaring wind, "Stork, open the Hanger, I'm coming in."

I fly towards the opening doors, slowing down so I don't crash land into the hanger.

When my Skimmer is parked, I head to my room to get the folder of information on Cyclonia, before heading straight to the helm to go through the rest of the papers.

* * *

I am about a quarter of the way through the pile when Aerrow walks in.

"You're back," I murmur matter-of-factly as I gaze up from the pages in front of me.

"Yeah," Aerrow replies.

"I went looking for you, but couldn't find you so I came back here."

Aerrow nods in reply and pulls up a chair beside me. "I picked up some spare parts from James."

"I know, that was the first place I looked for you," I reply, not looking up from the page that I am reading.

"He seemed…I don't know, a bit…off. Did you notice if he was acting stranger than usual?"

_I would tell you, but then you would run off on a rescue mission and probably get him and Iva both killed_, I think to myself before replying, "I had a talk with him, but he's fine, just under a little bit of pressure. Did you see how many rides he has to repair?"

"I did actually. I'd be stressed too if it was only me repairing all those."

"Mhmm," is all I say in reply, and continue looking at the page in front of me.

Aerrow sits in silence beside me for about half an hour. I hear him shift in his chair occasionally, but do not look up from the pages; I am determined to get through this all by nightfall.

"Aerrow, is there something that you would like to say?" I ask after hearing him shift around for the countless time.

"Are you okay? You seemed really distracted, it's not like you to just focus on one thing for so long without a break," he says.

"I'm fine, I just really want to get this done so I can start my preparation for this mission," I mutter. _No, I am not okay, I just had The Dark Ace hold a sword to my throat barely over an hour ago. _

"You can talk to me, Phoenix, you know that, right? If you're having any doubts about this mission, you don't have to go through with it."

"Aerrow, just stop. I'm doing this because I have to. I've waited too long to avenge my family and friends, I want to do this. And I have already come up with a dodgy plan that might just work," I state fiercely.

"You already have a plan?"

"Yes, is it that hard to believe?"

"Not at all, can I hear it?"

"Sure, but don't tell anyone else, alright?"

"You have my word."

"Alright. I will fly right into Cyclonian air space, and if the Talons are smart enough to recognize an intruder alert signal, they will capture me, take me to Cyclonis and I will convince her that I'm coming to join her. She might not believe me at first, because, let's face it, she's not exactly dumb. After I have gained her trust, I will go for the position of second Talon Commander. That will put me at the same rank as The Dark Ace or just about. After that, I will just have to wait for the right time, then strike, bringing them all down."

Aerrow raises his eyebrows as I finish speaking.

"You don't think it's a good plan?" I ask.

"No, quite the opposite, I think it's a brilliant plan," Aerrow says as his brows furrows.

"Then what's that look about?"

"You're going to bring Cyclonia down, all by yourself?"

"Yes. My powers have increased considerably, not even Cyclonis' freaky crystal shit can stand up to my powers. I'm too strong for her. But again, she is smart, so I can't just walk in and be like, 'hey bitch, I'm about to blow you up, any last words?' I have to be as smart as her, learn her secrets, that's why I have come up with this plan."

"Just to be clear…You're going to kill them, aren't you?" Aerrow whispers.

"Yes," I breathe.

"You know what that means right?"

"I am quite clear of the repercussions of what I am going to do, Aerrow."

"I guess throwing them into prison isn't revenge enough for you?" he murmurs.

"I'm sorry, Aerrow, but what they did to me…I will never forgive their crimes. If I do not put a stop to this, Cyclonis and Dark Ace will continue to murder for as long as they can. I've no other choice, they need to die."

Aerrow stays silent for a moment, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

"If I was any kind of Captain, I would tell you not to go through with this. I would stop you at all costs. But for once, I can understand why someone would want revenge so badly. When you return with their blood on your hands, I will appeal to the Sky Knight council on your behalf. You might lose your title, but I will make sure you never lose the respect people have for you."

I take Aerrow's hand in mind and hold it tight. "There is a possibility that our appeal won't hold up in a hearing. I could be banished and if that happens, I do not want you to contest the council's decision; you will have to let me go and just keep living your life without me. If I succeed in this mission, then I will finally be at peace with myself. If I fail…Do not, under any circumstances try to avenge me. If I fail, that will mean that Cyclonis is stronger than I thought and if I can't beat her, than you don't stand a chance."

I look Aerrow in the eyes and see his uncertainty overflowing from them. He knows the dangers as well as I. And I have a suspicion that he thinks I might fail.

"Please come back, Phoenix. Promise that you will come back to me. I need to know that you will be alright," Aerrow pleads quietly.

"I wish I could make that promise, but we both know that I could fail at this, Aerrow. Just please look after yourself when I'm gone," I whisper.

"You're talking as if you know you're not coming back."

"If I come across that way, I'm sorry. I'm just trying to prepare us for the worst case scenario," I mutter.

Aerrow shakes his head and leans his elbow on the table. "Do you want help going through the rest of this information?"

"Yeah, thanks," I murmur, thrown off by the sudden change of subject.

Handing half of the pile to Aerrow, we start reading through the many pages that litter the table. Occasionally I glance up at Aerrow to see him staring out of the windscreen with a vacant expression upon his face.

"Why don't we do this outside? There isn't a breeze today, it will be nice to get some fresh air," I suggest when Aerrow lets out an audible sigh.

"Sure," he replies, and starts to gather up some of the pages.

Walking out of one of the side doors from the helm, we emerge onto the front deck and find a space to sit down and continue our research.

"It's nice out here; I like the sunlight at this time of day, it isn't too bright to look at," I say absentmindedly, turning my head towards the horizon where the sun is setting, glowing a bright orange and casting silhouettes over everything its light touches.

"Makes you kind of…I don't know, nostalgic, I guess," Aerrow mutters in reply.

I turn my head back to look at him, looking out at the horizon, as unpleasant thoughts enter my mind.

"I want to go home, Aerrow," I whisper.

"By home, you mean Terra?" he asks gently.

"Yes. I just want to see it again before I go to Cyclonia so I can remember myself when I'm there," I mutter.

"Let's go then," Aerrow states as he jumps to his feet, startling me, then disappears inside.

I hastily pick up the papers and follow him back into the helm. He is at the intercom telling Stork and Piper to come to the helm immediately.

"Are you doing what I think you are doing?" I ask.

"Yep," Aerrow replies smiling at me.

"Aerrow, you really don't need to do everything that I suggest. It was just a thought," I murmur sheepishly.

"I know, but I want to do this for you."

"Well, if it makes feel better, go ahead then," I reply and walk over to the table to place the papers down and take a seat just as Stork stalks in, looking irritable.

"This better be good, I'm working on important engine bug repelling technology," Stork mutters as his eye twitches maniacally.

"Is everybody on board? We have to leave Atmosia," Aerrow explains.

"Finn and Junko came back just a little while ago," Stork mutters his reply.

"Okay, good."

Trying to relax in my chair, I continue to study the page I was reading before Aerrow went all mania on me. A few minutes later, Piper appears, looking slightly dishevelled.

_Everything must be wonderful in the world of Piper, _I think to myself, repressing the urge to chuckle.

"What's up, Aerrow?" she asks.

"I want you to plot a course for Terra Emeraldia," Aerrow answers.

"Terra Emeraldia?" Piper looks over at me.

"Don't look at me, it's all Aerrow's idea," I say shrugging.

"I'll get on it," Piper says and walks over to the mapping table, quickly plotting the course and shouting the coordinates to Stork, who puts them down in the navigation instrument and starts up the Condor.


	18. Yes Captain

**I finally have Interweb access again! So damn happy, I literally have been having withdrawals from not being able to post new chapters! SO, to make up for it, I shall post a couple just to keep you lovely people going for a little while :)**

**PLEASE, read, enjoy and Review! Happy reading :D**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen

_Sky Journal, Day whatever, I've lost count of them,_

_Today I let slip that I wanted to go home and Aerrow took it as I wanted to go right now, and, well, Aerrow being Aerrow told Piper to set a course, so…Looks like I'm going home for a visit. I am not sure what to expect, maybe just a pile of ash and rubble, but at least the trees will have grown back. I think I'm scared, but I don't remember what being scared feels like anymore, I have become desensitized to the feeling…or I'm just living in a perpetual state of it…Maybe I will remember my old self, or maybe I will stay like I am; Paranoid and always arguing with my 'brain'. Whatever happens, I don't think I'm ready to face it, I know Aerrow is just trying to be kind, but I am worried he has gone too far this time…Only time will tell._

_Signing off for now, Phoenix._

Finishing my journal entry, I slip it back into my drawer and stretch my arms above my head, yawning. The moon is full tonight and already high up in the sky, shining into my room and casting shadows on the floor. I could be using this time to continue looking over the information on Cyclonia, but it is all just a blur anyway, none of it has stuck. The silence is broken by a knock at my bedroom door.

"Come in," I call over my shoulder, while I gaze out of my window at the moon. I hear my door creak open then clicking closed as footsteps approach, "Hey, Aerrow."

"How'd you know it was me?" he asks chuckling quietly.

"The way you walk, it's not hard to guess," I reply quietly and swing my chair around to face him, "What's up?"

"I assumed you would still be awake, so I thought you might want some company," he says as he takes a seat on my bed.

"Well, I don't sleep much these days, so your company is quite welcome," I smile at him and stretch again, leaning my head back so my hair falls behind my shoulders. I feel a stinging pain on my neck and stop stretching, abruptly grasping where the pain is and gasp.

"What is it?" Aerrow asks, jumping off my bed and kneeling at my side.

"I don't know," I reply, wincing as my neck stings a bit more.

Removing my hand, I feel something warm trickle down my neck slowly. I look at my hand and see blood, not a lot, but enough to stain my fingers.

"What…" I whisper, staring at my bloodied hand.

"Phoenix, how did that happen?" Aerrow asks, worried.

"I-I-" _The Dark Aces sword, that's how…but how did I not notice? How did anybody else no notice? _"I don't know."

"Phoenix, what happened on Atmosia?" Aerrow demands as he puts his hands on my shoulders.

"Aerrow, it was probably just a tree branch that hit me when I was taking off," I lie.

Aerrow looks at my wound, his brow furrowing, "Unless blades grow on trees now, I doubt it. Tell me what has happened. You have been acting strange since you got back," He says and looks me in the eye.

"Aerrow, just leave it, it's nothing, really. I was riding really fast, a branch would have whipped me and that's it," I say nervously, not able to keep my voice steady enough.

"Damn it, Phoenix! What the fuck happened, who did this to you?" Aerrow practically shouts.

His voice pierces my ears harshly, making me cringe, "I-I can't…"

"What do you mean?"

"Please, just leave it alone, it will do you no good anyway," I whisper, feeling a lump form in my throat.

"Why can't you just tell me, why are you keeping it from me?" He asks gently.

I am about to reply, when my message crystal lights up and the holographic screens flickers to life. I pick it up and gaze at it.

"Phoenix! She's back, Iva is back, they brought her home," James' face appears in the holographic screen above the crystal.

"James, that's great, but now isn't a good time," I say when Aerrow's brow furrows and he leans his head to the side, with his mouth hanging open.

"Just a second, I-I-" James' face disappears and is replaced with a new one. Immediately, my skin crawls uncomfortably and I have to resist the urge to be sick.

"Well, hello there, little birdie," he growls.

"Dark Ace," I whisper as my heart rate increases. Aerrow has a look of utter incredulity upon his face and goes to say something, but I hold my finger up, silencing him.

"As per you requested, the girl is back safe…Oh, I see my sword might have left a mark upon you. I suggest you get that patched up, little birdie, I wouldn't want you to get sick and die before our next meeting," The Dark Ace laughs humourlessly.

"Seeing as Iva is back safe, why are you sticking around then, Talon? Don't you have helpless people to go murder?" I spit at him.

Running his tongue along his bottom lip, he smirks and shakes his head, "I just couldn't resist saying hello to you, little Birdie, I thought it would be a great reunion moment that we could all share."

"You're a piece of scum, you know that? If Iva is back safe, then why the hell are you still there? I want you gone from their lives, right now," I breathe angrily, repeating my previous question.

"Demanding little thing aren't you? Well, if that is what you want, then that is what you shall get. I fear the thought of being on your bad side next time we meet," he says narrowing his eyes.

"Good. Now hand the crystal back to James," I demand.

"Very well. So long Sky Knight." He smiles emotionlessly then disappears from the screen, being replaced by James.

"James, are you alright?"

"Y-yes, I'm fine, and so is Iva, she's asleep. The Dark Ace has just left. Did you see him after you left my shop today?"

"Yeah, listen, James, I have to go. I've got some explaining to do," I glance up at Aerrow, who looks like he is in a complete state of shock, "Keep in contact and if you need anything, just let me know, okay?"

"Sure Phoenix. And thank you. I owe you my life. I don't know what you did, but I'm eternally grateful."

"Goodnight, James," I say, my voice hollow.

"Goodnight."

I shut off the crystal and place it back on my desk, and turn to Aerrow.

"What was that about?" he demands.

"Dark Ace kidnapped Iva, but she's back now. That is what James was stressing about," I reply quietly.

"That's quite clear, and not what I meant. What was all that about with The Dark Ace?"

"He stalked me in an alley and told me to stay out of what doesn't concern me," I say quietly.

"What else, stop keeping things from me, Phoenix."

"I told him to let Iva return home, and by some miracle, he accepted my request."

"How did he know where you were?"

"He came in when I was at James' shop and figured out where I was hiding, but didn't let anything on until he had me alone."

"And what about that," Aerrow points to my neck.

"I said a few things, mad him a little mad, so he threatened me. All he did was hold his sword at my throat, but I didn't' notice it had cut me. Must have been the adrenaline or something, but I knew he would not kill me; Cyclonis wants me alive still, she has not given up. That will make my plan a bit easier."

Aerrow nods his head, his eyes full of rage, "I should go find that fucker and kill him myself."

"No, Aerrow, just leave it. Somehow, I have got him playing right into my hands, I don't want anything to jeopardize my mission," I say quickly.

"Phoenix, what did he mean about your next meeting with him?"

"I told him that I would be seeing him again, that is all. He knows to expect me, but not when. It just makes my plan a little more believable."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Aerrow asks, leaning his head to the side.

"Because I didn't know what to say. I couldn't walk up to you and be like 'oh, by the way Aerrow, Dark Ace held a sword to my throat today, just thought you might like to know that little nugget of information'. Nothing happened, I'm fine and now my mission should work out the way I want. Everything that happened today worked out in my favour and saved two lives."

Aerrow exhales audibly and runs a hand through his hair, "Let's get you fixed up, I'll go get the med kit, wait here a second."

"Okay," I mutter.

Aerrow disappears and returns a few minutes later with the med kit. Placing it down on the floor, he kneels in front of me and moves my hair out of the way of my wound. Reaching into the med kit, he pulls out a sterilizing wipe and puts on a pair of latex gloves.

"You know what you're doing, right?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Of course, don't you remember the first aid course at Sky Knight Academy, it was mandatory. I am fully certified in field medicine, and not to boast, but I got top grades for it," he replies smiling.

"Doctor Aerrow," I giggle, "Sounds weird. Don't hurt me."

"I'll try not to, but it might sting a little. Hold still," Aerrow says gently.

I sit stock still and Aerrow begins to clean the wound, making me wince, "ouch."

"Sorry, but I said it would sting," he murmurs as he continues to wipe up the blood from my neck.

"How did you not notice this before, Aerrow?" I ask.

"Your hair. It covers a good amount of your neck. No one would have noticed, unless you pulled your hair out of the way," he replies, as he edges closer to me, to get a better look at the cut. I can feel his breath on me as I lean my head to the side, allowing him better access to clean the wound.

"I didn't even feel it cut me, Aerrow," I whisper, "Do you think my parents felt much?"

"Don't do this Phoenix," he says and pulls my face towards his, "you don't need to keep putting yourself in moods like this. There is nothing you could have done, and it's not your fault. Save those feelings for when you need them."

"Sorry," I mutter.

"Don't apologize all the time. Just think about the future; how great it will be when you have finally brought justice to the Atmos. Your parents didn't die in vain."

I can't find any words, so I force a smile onto my face instead. Aerrow finishes cleaning the cut on my neck and leans my head back to examine it.

"Lucky it isn't deep, it won't need stitching, but I'll put gauze on the wound, and try not to stretch, otherwise it will open up again," he says as he reaches into the med kit again and pulls out some gauze. He places it on the cut and fastens it in place with some medical tape. "There, all done."

"Thanks," I say as I relax into my chair.

"No problem."

Aerrow stays kneeling on the floor, gazing at me for a moment, then leans forward and kisses me gently on the lips quickly, taking me by surprise, before standing up and taking the med kit back to the medical supplies closet.

_And that surprised you why? _My subconscious raises a figurative eyebrow at me. It should not surprise me should it? In Aerrow's mind, we pretty much are together again, so I should expect the odd physical advance every now and again. Plus he doesn't know if he will ever see me again…I can't blame him, can I? Suddenly reappearing, Aerrow startles me from my thoughts, making me nearly jump out of my seat.

"Sorry," he grins at me.

"It's all right," I pant, recovering from the small shock. Sighing, I bring my hand up to my mouth and begin to bite my nails, trying to rid my mind of all thoughts of The Dark Ace.

_Why can't he just leave me alone? _I think to myself, as I get a sick feeling in my stomach.

"Are you okay?" Aerrow asks, bringing my mind back to the present.

I sigh and reply, "Yes."

He cocks his head to the side, pursing his lips.

"Alright, fine, I'm not okay. I am all kinds of fucked up, Aerrow. I'm confused, in shock and I feel sick to top it all off," I say shrugging and bring my hands to rest upon my knees as I take a deep breath and bow my head. I hear my bed creak as Aerrow gets up and slides over to me to kneel at my side.

"I should kill that son of a bitch," he mutters then takes my hand in his, "Why didn't you tell me earlier? It was more than just a shock to find out like I just did, Phoenix."

"I'm sorry," I whisper, "I couldn't tell you. I was worried if I did, that I would not be able to stop you from conducting a rescue mission that might have gotten both Iva and James murdered. I couldn't take that risk, Aerrow."

"I see. But I don't understand it, why did that fucker stalk you in an alley? Did he do anything else to you?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, raising my head to look at him.

"You know, like…" Aerrow shrugs and swallows hard, his unspoken question silently screaming behind his eyes.

I furrow my brow for a second before realizing what he means, "Oh god no, Aerrow, nothing like that, no. He may be a murderer, but he's no rapist. I would have killed him before he even got the chance to…No he didn't do anything other than what I have already told you."

"Good," Aerrow sighs, obviously relieved, "I just wanted to make sure."

"Nothing like that will ever happen, you can be sure of that."

"I know. If anything like this happens again, I…" Aerrow hangs his head down and sighs, before looking back up at me, "As long as I am your Captain while you are a part of the Storm Hawks; I request that you tell me anything of importance. Especially if it involves your safety."

I raise my eyebrows at him and cock my head to the side.

"Dammit, Phoenix! I am being serious. I am your Captain, and you will notify me of any incidents involving your safety and wellbeing. If you come into any danger, you are under my orders to tell me. You know I do not like to enforce my authority onto my team members, but you have hidden things from me one too many times. If anything were to happen to you…You know what that would do to me, Phoenix. Talk to me, from now on, okay?" Aerrow says exasperatedly.

_Wow, you really know how to tug the heartstrings, Captain, _I think to myself. "Okay, I'm sorry, Aerrow," I reply and bow my head, looking at my hand in his.

"Don't be sorry, just talk to me," he whispers softly.

"Okay, I promise, Aerrow," I murmur quietly. I feel his free hand run through my hair then caress my cheek, his fingers gently skimming down until they rest just above my wound. He inhales sharply through his nose and then stands up.

"Come on, you should get some sleep. According to Piper's calculations, we should reach Emeraldian territory before midday tom-" he stops his sentence short and glances at my small clock, then corrects himself, "Later today."

"I don't really want to fall asleep," I mutter, biting my lip.

"Why ever not?" he asks.

"I'm sick to death of having the same nightmare every damn night, Aerrow, it just won't stop; Dante, you, The Dark Ace. What he does to me…What I _let _him do to me…I hate the way he makes me feel, it's wrong, I shouldn't feel like that about anyone, especially _him_," I whisper, feeling sick again.

"Hey, it's only just a dream, a manifestation caused by you stressing constantly over everything. I'll stay with you tonight, alright?"

"If you want to. But can you really stand to see me dream that again and again? From what I've gathered, it's not the most pleasant sight for you."

"I can deal with it. Now get into bed, I will make sure you sleep." Aerrow pulls me to my feet and guides me to my bed, laying me down gently, then kicks his boots off and joins me, propped up on his side. I let out a petulant sigh and curl up, my back against the cool wall.

"Aerrow, really, I don't want-"

"Got to sleep, Phoenix," he says, cutting my sentence short.

"Yes, Captain," I mutter childishly. Punching my pillow into a comfortable shape, I bury my head into it and close my eyes, realizing only now how exhausted I am, but cannot help to fight the urge to fall asleep.

The feelings I have for The Dark Ace in waking life are completely opposite in my dream. I hate him with all my soul, and never in an eternity of lifetimes would I think of him and I in such a scene of vulgar adultery. Yet when my conscious mind lays to rest, my subconscious cooks up the most unlikely of events, an event in which I find myself to enjoy at the time. What could possibly be the explanation for something like this? I know that anyone with a pair of eyes in their skull would be able to see that he is a handsome man, but looks alone cannot make someone attractive. He is evil and vile, he kills without a thought, he murders all that's good. I just want to escape from him, but he is always there occupying my mind, night and day.

"Oi, go to sleep, stop fighting it," Aerrow's voice breaks through my racing thoughts.

"Sorry," I mumble and scrunch my eyes tightly shut then open them to gaze at him, "Are you really going to make me go to sleep?"

"If I have to, yes," Aerrow replies.

"Even if I'm not tired?"

"Look, if you are so against going to sleep, then I guess I cannot force you, but I would prefer it if you did get some rest, Phoenix," he sighs.

"I just don't want to dream, is all."

"I know. Just try to relax; I can only assume that your day has been more than tiring."

"That, I can assure you of."

* * *

Sitting bolt upright, I grasp at my neck and let out a huge breath. Wiping the sheen of sweat from my brow, I swallow hard and attempt to control my erratic breathing, welcoming the fresh air into my lungs. I whip my head around, my eyes frantically searching for Aerrow. The sun is shining through my bedroom window, casting a single ray of light across my room to the door, which is ajar. Pulling my bed covers off me, I slowly step out of bed, being careful to not stand up too fast, and scanning my room once more, walk over to where my door is hanging slightly open. Listening carefully, I can hear the rumble of the Condor's engines.

_Good, we're not there yet_, I think to myself. I reach out, open my door all the way, and scream in shock; Aerrow has just appeared, startling me. My knees give out and I sink to the floor, panting and trying to recover.

"Hey, sorry for startling you," he laughs.

"Stop laughing," I pant, "are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry, you startle too easily. Here, get up, I'll make you some breakfast," Aerrow says and reaches down, helping me to my feet.

"Thanks," I mutter, still recovering from the shock.

"How did you sleep?" he asks.

"How do you think?" I murmur in reply.

"Same as ever I presume. Let's go get you fed, when was the last time you actually ate something?"

"I don't know, I tend to forget these things."

Aerrow shakes his head at me then wraps an arm around my waist as we walk to the kitchen in silence.

Stepping through the door to the kitchen, I see the rest of the team – apart from Stork – finishing their breakfast. Their heads whip up as one as Aerrow and I enter, greeting us with cheeky smiles. I walk over to the dining table and take a seat, narrowing my eyes at Finn and Piper who are beginning to giggle.

"Shut up you two, stop being immature," I scold them.

Immediately, they fall silent, continuing to finish the last of their breakfast, before taking their dishes to the sink and disappearing out of sight.

"Hey, Junko, could I ask you a favour?"

"Sure," he replies through a mouthful of food.

"Would you be able to reinforce the steel on the body of my ride? I know it will sustain some considerable damage when I fly into Cyclonian airspace, so if you could just put a little extra armour onto the weaker parts of the frame, that would be great."

"Yeah, I can do that. I might take a few days though," Junko smiles at me.

"That's not problem, I'll get you to start on it after I've done the recon at home. Also, Junko, I will still need the manoeuvrability, is that possible with the extra plating of steel?" I ask.

"I don't see why not, as long as the steel isn't too thick or heavy to affect the steering. I'll attach one of those new after burners too if you want me to?"

"That would be great, Junko, the old one is starting to become faulty."

"Just let me know when you want me to start and I'll get right on it," he says as he gets up to place his bowl in the sink.

"Alright. Thanks again Junko," I smile up at him.

"No problem, always happy to help, Phoenix."

Junko disappears as Aerrow appears from around the corner, carrying two plates. He sets one down in front of me then takes a seat. I smell the food and instantly my mouth begins to water.

"Eat up," Aerrow says and hands me a fork.

"Thanks." I take the fork from him and begin to eat; it tastes delicious.

* * *

"You know that was important, Finn! What the hell is wrong with you?" I hear Piper's screeching voice from down the hall.

"I'm sorry, but you are always cooped up in your lab going on about how important this is and that is and it gets confusing, I thought it would be funny!" comes Finn's voice defensively.

"I have had enough of you, you complete _idiot_! I cannot believe that this was just some stupid attempt at a joke. You are not a fucking teenager anymore, start acting you damn age!"

_What are they arguing about now? _I think to myself as I try to block out their yelling voices. Ignoring them is just not doing the trick, so I get up and close the door, which only muffles them.

"Any idea what their problem is this time?" Aerrow asks as I walk back over to him and flop down onto the couch.

"No idea," I reply and let out a sigh, "Can you turn the volume up a bit; I can't hear over those two."

"Sure." Aerrow scoots forward and turns the volume on the television up until we cannot hear Finn and Piper screaming at each other.

"That's better," I grin at Aerrow as he scoots closer to me and drapes an arm around my shoulders, relaxing into the sofa, "How long do you reckon until we land?

"About another hour or so, I think. I haven't been able to ask Piper."

I hear a loud noise then a door slamming shut.

"I think they're done for now," I state.

"One can only hope. I am getting real sick of their constant tiffs over the smallest of things. I'm beginning to consider bringing in a rule about no relationships between team members," Aerrow replies exasperatedly.

"What about us?" the question leaves my mouth without me thinking.

"What about us? We aren't together anymore anyway," he shrugs.

_Oh, right. Why did I even say that? _

"But we're acting as if we are," I murmur.

"But would we if you weren't going to go to Cyclonia?" Aerrow asks and raises an eyebrow at me.

"I don't know," I reply, his question making me think. _Would we still be acting like the pretend happy couple if I wasn't going away? _

"Oh, this is the best bit, here, watch," Aerrow announces and points at the television. I turn my attention to back to the television and watch as the 'Ultra Premier Champion' - or something like that - does a continuous barrel roll while simultaneously shooting green blasts from his energy guns at the bad guys, before he is forced to jump from his skimmer as it explodes into a million pieces.

"Cool movie, Aerrow, but what exactly is happening?" I ask, trying to take in what it's about.

Aerrow shakes his head at me and chuckles quietly, "Just watch and pretend that you understand, it would take a while to explain it properly."

"Okay," I laugh and continue to watch the movie.

* * *

Watching the credits roll up the screen, I am laying with my head in Aerrow's lap as he twirls his index finger around a random tendril of my hair.

"Enjoy the movie?" he asks and looks down at me.

"It wasn't bad; a lot of thing happening at once," I respond vaguely.

"It's one of my favourites," Aerrow smiles down at me.

"I noticed." Sitting up slowly, I begin to stretch before remembering the wound on my neck and stop instantly.

"You're still in your pyjamas," Aerrow states.

"Yeah, I kind of noticed that. I'm going for a shower."

"Alright."

I stand up and head to my room to gather some clothes and my towel before going to the bathroom.

* * *

Turning on the water and letting it heat up, I begin to undress, being careful of the cut on my neck.

_I should probably put new gauze on this, I don't want it to get infected, _I think to myself. Carefully, I remove the dressing from my wound, examine it in the mirror, and sigh to myself as my eyes fall upon its neighbouring scar. Well, there's another one to add to the collection…a growing collection. Sighing once more, I step into the shower, wincing as the water touches the cut, making it sting. How do I always end up in ridiculous situations? It's not as if I look for trouble; I keep to myself as much as I possibly can, yet I always, without fail, end up with the Dark Ace nearly slitting my throat. Is this all my life was building up to; to just fear for my life and those around me until I finally become a murderer myself? Surely, there has to be more to my life than just that. Although for months now, I have been feeling the anger inside building up, slowly changing me. Reaching for the shampoo, I begin washing my hair. The suds slide down, into my cut but I ignore it.

_Good, make it sting. Make me remember why I am doing this_, I think angrily and begin to wash out the shampoo. Who does Cyclonis thinks she is? Trying to make me join her by killing everything I love. Stupid woman, she will never tear anything away from me again.

When my hair is washed, I just stand there gazing at the tiled wall of the shower, letting the water wash over me, trying to rid my mind of everything. Being angry at this point in time is probably a bad idea; I should wait until I am in Cyclonia to let the rage out. Suddenly I feel my energy flaring up on its own.

"Must be close to home," I mutter to myself.

Turning the shower off, I get out, dry off and proceed to get dressed. After I have checked my appearance in the mirror, I leave the bathroom in search for the rest of the team.

* * *

Sitting on our skimmers, Finn and I are waiting for Stork to open the Hanger doors. Once they are clear, we zoom out of the Condor and ride along a – barely discernible – path. Looking around us, I notice that the trees are standing tall once again and are just swaying in the soft breeze as if nothing had ever happened. Breaking through the tree line, Finn and I slow down considerably and stop our skimmers, continuing on foot.

"This is where my village used to be," I whisper as I gaze at the burned ruins of what was once a lively community.

"It's just…gone," Finn murmurs.

I walk forward and am instantly surrounded by an aura.

"Yeah, I'm home," I whisper to myself, trying to take in the amount of devastation and ruins, "No, this isn't my home. This is not what it looks like. My home is gone." I add bitterly.

"I think it's good you're going to Cyclonia, that place needs to be destroyed," Finn's voice breaks through my bitter thoughts.

"Yeah, if only everyone else thought the same, Finn," I murmur in response.

"They'll come around eventually, don't worry," he says and smiles at me.

"Thanks Finn."

Walking forward, we pass the village limits and enter into what used to be the main street. Looking down to the far end, I spot half of an old familiar shop sign and begin to jog down the street until I reach it.

"What was here?"

"Mr Rantyll's crystal shop. I don't think you ever met him, he helped me with my energy casting when I was younger. He was kind of my mentor."

"Oh. Sorry," Finn murmurs his condolence.

"Don't apologize, it wasn't you who killed him and you wouldn't have been able to do anything to stop it from happening," I mutter, "You don't need to feel sorry for me either, what's happened has happened and now I will kill the people who did this. So you just worry about not pissing Piper off and live happily ever after, okay Finn?"

"Sorry, Phoenix, I didn't mean to -"

"Save it, Finn, alright. Yeah, it's sad and all, but just please don't think that I can't handle this. And please stop pissing Piper off, I'm serious, I need to know that somebody is happy because of me," I cut him off and scold him.

"I know you can handle this, I'm just trying to be supportive is all," Finn says kindly.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks, you're a good friend, Finn."

"I know."

"Let's let the other know that it's safe," I say and continue back to our skimmers.

Flicking on my communications switch, I wait for the static, "Baby Bird to Mother Hen, copy?"

"Copied. What's your status? Over," comes Aerrow's disembodied voice.

"S.U.S.F.U," I sigh, then continue, "All clear. Over."

"Alright, we're coming down. Over."

"Roger that."

The static crackles for a second then dies away as I wait for Aerrow and the others to join Finn and me.


	19. Home

Chapter Nineteen

"_Copied. What's your status? Over," comes Aerrow's disembodied voice._

"_S.U.S.F.U," I sigh, then continue, "All clear. Over."_

"_Alright, we're coming down. Over."_

"_Roger that." _

_The static crackles for a second then dies away as I wait for Aerrow and the others to join Finn and me._

* * *

Pushing the door as hard as I can, I hear it groan in protest.

"Need a hand?" Junko asks and pounds his fists together, charging up his knuckle-busters.

"No, I can get this Junko," I grunt in reply. No matter how much force I use it just won't budge, "Be like that, then."

Taking a deep breath, I focus on my energy, letting my aura resonate and give the door another push. Success! The hinges buckle and it falls down, creating a cloud of dust and ash as it makes impact with the shop floor. Reining my aura back in, I take a tentative step forward into the shop, which is pitch black.

"Piper, got a light?" I ask.

"Yeah, hang on one second," she responds and reaches into her small satchel, pulling out an illumination crystal. Activating it, she hands it to me and I hold it out in front of us, lighting up the small space.

"All clear, guys, just watch your step, and be careful, this could come down any second, so stay close to me alright."

Everyone nods and follows me in, treading quietly. I look over at the small, blackened counter; it has scorch marks from the flames that have engulfed the shop, but somehow it is surprisingly still intact and standing. The shelves that once lined the walls are no longer there, they are piles of ash on the floor. I walk over to the counter and examine it.

"This should not have survived, it should be ash like the rest of the wood in here," I muse quietly.

"It appears to have been protected for some reason," Piper says.

"But what sort of crystal could possibly have enough power to protect against the flames of a Phoenix Crystal?" I ask.

"None that I know of," Piper replies.

Walking around behind the counter I continue to further examine it for any clues as to what could have prevented it from being burned up with the rest of the shop. Opening the first drawer, there is a small pewter box with symbols lining the rim of the lid. I place the crystal on the counter before I lift the box out and place it beside the crystal.

"What's that?" Aerrow asks.

"I don't know, maybe what Mr Rantyll wanted protecting," I answer.

I lift the lid and am greeted by the sight of an old picture. It is black and white and frayed around the edges. In the Picture, there is a man and a beautiful woman – who looks oddly familiar – standing in a forest, much like the one that Dante and I used to play in.

"Who are they?" Piper asks.

"I think it might be Mr Rantyll, but I'm not sure who the woman is," I reply vaguely, concentrating hard on the photograph.

"His wife maybe?"

"No, he never married."

"Can I take a look?"

"Yeah sure," I say and hand Piper the picture.

Upon looking at the picture, Piper's eyes bulge slightly and her mouth drops open.

"What?" I ask.

"This woman looks nearly exactly like you," she exclaims, "Look, same hair, same nose, nearly identical facial structure, she even stands a bit like you."

"It could just be some distant relative that died before I was born," I say, shrugging.

In the dim light, I notice something scribbled on the back of the photograph, and immediately snatch it back from piper and try to see what it says.

"Huh?" Piper says, surprised at my sudden actions.

"There's something written on the back, right here, can you hold the crystal up, Piper?"

"Yeah, sure."

I squint in the dim light of the crystal and try to make out the words.

"What does it say, Phoenix?"

"Umm, I think I can make out a date," I mutter and gaze closer at the picture. My hand smacks my mouth as I gasp in disbelief, "The date, it's…it can't be, that is impossible. I don't think cameras even existed back then."

"Why, what does the date say?" Aerrow asks as he steps closer to me.

"Well, it's not an exact date but…it says '_The Day Emeraldia was born_'. It cannot be though. No, it must be some kind of inside joke Mr Rantyll had with a friend."

"Does it say anything else?" Piper and Aerrow ask simultaneously.

"Yeah, it does actually," I respond, squinting again trying to make out a few other words to the right of the first inscription, "No. It just cannot be. There is no actual way that this is possible. Just…No way."

"What?" Aerrow asks.

"Corvus (28) and Alaudi (20) Emeraldia, three year anniversary," I mutter in complete disbelief.

"Well, that would suggest the likeness of that woman to you, I mean, you are related after all," Piper says.

"Yeah, very, very, very, _very_, distantly," I murmur.

"You know that the very first cameras were beginning to be invented around the time that Emeraldia was founded, so it's not that unbelievable that there is an actual picture of those two," Piper states.

"I didn't know that. But it still doesn't explain why Mr Rantyll has this picture, unless he is also descended from them," I reply, trying to take all this in.

"It's a possibility, but how much do you actually know about Mr Rantyll? Do you even know what his first name was?" Aerrow asks.

"Y-yes, he told me on my 15th birthday..." I trail off. _Of course, I didn't put it together all this time, I'm so stupid_, "Corvus. That was his first name. How did I not realize it sooner?"

"Realize what?" Both Aerrow Piper ask.

"All the speculation on his age, the pure knowledge of Energy Casters that he had. Of course it must be him," I exclaim, then continue, "When I was a child, he told me that Energy Casters had one special ability that only another Energy Caster would know of. He never told me, he would always say 'When it is time for you to know, then you will discover the truth'. I think I have finally figured it out."

"Figured what out?" Aerrow asks, cocking his head to the side.

"The secret of all secrets involving my powers," I whisper. Moreover, No one but another Energy Caster can know.

I turn my attention back to the small pewter box on the counter and spot an old yellowed envelope and I pick it up.

"A letter?" Piper asks.

"I think so," I reply as I gaze at the aged yellowing paper.

"Is it addressed to anyone?"

I turn the envelope around in my hands and once again, I am hit with an immense shock.

"What is it?" I hear Aerrow ask.

"Me," I whisper.

"What?" Piper and Aerrow ask, complete surprise upon both of their faces.

"It's addressed to me," I whisper again.

"Well open it," Piper urges, excitedly.

Without a word, I slowly begin to peel open the envelope, trying not to let my hands shake too much. When it is open, I carefully pull out a piece of paper that is as old and yellowed as the envelope. My heat races as I start to read, my eyes skimming quickly over the words.

_To Dear Phoenix, may this letter find its way into your hands as I have predicted. _

_Before I begin to divulge what I am about to, dear Phoenix, I must say that I know this will be somewhat of a shock for you. If you are in fact reading this, then I fear that my vision has in fact come to fruition. I am so deeply sorry for what you have been through, child, but it could not possibly be prevented. Now, as disbelieving as it may seem, I am writing this letter to you many, many, many years before you or even your great-great grandparents are born. As you have believed for most of your life, you are indeed a descendant of mine; a direct descendant, although there is a century or two separating us, you and your father will be my closest relatives by the time you are born. I have seen many things, my dear child, but what you are facing is the most dangerous. The one known as Cyclonis is a powerful being, I must warn you to not lose your head around her, for you will face many obstacles along your path and defeating her will prove difficult if you succumb to darkness, by which I mean, certain feelings will cloud your mind and judgement. You will most likely stray from your path for a while, but I can only hope that you remember yourself before it is too late, darling Phoenix. I must elaborate on 'darkness' to the best of my ability, for I know not what it means myself, as it only appeared as symbols in my vision; 28 years of Darkness. I urge you not to take it literally, for it may only be a metaphor at the present time, but I can tell you that whatever this '28 years of Darkness' is, it will cause you pain; emotional and physical. It will follow you upon turning 15, child. Be careful. Be vigilant. Moreover, please never forget yourself, sweet Phoenix. Before I say my final goodbyes, I must explain my name change; to keep our powers secret and overall to keep you safe, first I had to do something that only I have done. I channelled every ounce of my power to extend my life so that I can be around when you come into this world. What that means exactly, is that I can no longer use my powers, for they are expired, leading to my changing of my name to 'Mr Rantyll'. Yes, if you choose to, you can live for centuries, but as I have explained, there is a price. Nothing is free in this world Phoenix, so if, for whatever reason you decide to extend your life, then your Energy Casting will be no more. In my case, the counter in which you found this letter was protected, not by any crystal, but my Energy casting. Ahh, 'another catch' you are probably thinking. Well, yes there is one thing that can get you your powers back. If you forfeit your extended life, you will regain your powers, but you will only be able to use them for one task and one task only. Should you wish to regain your Energy Casting abilities, there will be not much point, I am afraid. Once your powers are reinstated, your life will run out so to speak. Once you use your Energy Casting, you will die, for it is not natural for humans to live such a long life, the remaining energy keeps you alive, so to speak. Everything comes to an end, child. I have foreseen my passing, but let me assure you; it is not painful. My life will run out before the flames can touch me. I know that you will be feeling every kind of negative emotion, but do not let them take over your soul. My darling wife weeps for you as I write this, so I can only imagine the grief that has befallen you. I have given you all the information that I can for now, young Phoenix, and I only hope that you stay true to yourself when the darkest times arise. I eagerly await the day of your birth, but you will only know me by 'Mr Rantyll' until your 15__th__ birthday, when I shall reveal to you my real name, although you will not put it all together until you are actually reading this letter. I wish you the very best for the rest of your life, and I know it will be a pleasure to see you growing up._

_In addition, please, do not succumb to the '28 years of Darkness'. Such a smart woman as yourself will figure it out when you need to; I just hope that you do in time. _

_As I have reached the end of this parchment, I will say good-bye and just one more thing; Happy bleated 20__th__ birthday, Phoenix. _

_Good-bye, live your life with good in your heart._

_Sincerely, Corvus Emeraldia. _

"It was him. He saw what would happen, he knew all those centuries ago. And he never told me. Why didn't he tell me?" I whisper, feeling a lump forming in my throat.

"What does it say?" Aerrow asks.

"Um, well, I can't disclose some of the information written here, but I can say that…He knew me before even my most distant relatives existed. This letter is written as if he knew me all along. However, this letter is hundreds of years old. I'm trying to wrap my head around it," I mutter.

"So, Mr Rantyll, is just an alias? All this time it was really Corvus?"

"Yeah," I breathe.

"That's heavy," Aerrow murmurs.

I nod my head in reply and put the letter and picture back into the small pewter box, before closing it and placing it in my bag.

"Finn, Junko, could you go check out the store opposite? I'm going to keep Piper and Aerrow with me while we finish up here," I say.

"Yeah, sure. Just give us a shout when you're done here," Finn replies.

"Will do."

Junko and Finn leave the store and walk across the street. I see them force their way in through the door and disappear. Turning back to Piper and Aerrow, I gesture for them to follow me through to the back of the shop.

"If anything else survived the fire, it will probably be the crystals in the store room. It is small, but organized, constructed of mostly tungsten, it probably might be unharmed," I explain.

"Tungsten?" Piper asks

"Yeah."

"It will probably be fine then. The flames of a Phoenix Crystal fall short of the melting point of tungsten, but only by just under three degrees," Piper states.

"Let's check it out then," I reply.

Upon entering the back room, I stop dead in my tracks, gasping in horror. Lying amongst the rubble and ash in the centre of the room are the charred remains of Mr Rantyll.

"Oh, god," I whisper and take a shuddering breath.

I step closer and drop to my knees, stretching my arm out to touch his charred shirt. Shifting closer on my knees, I notice that about two thirds of his body are completely unharmed.

"I—I don't understand," Piper whispers, "The body should be decomposed by now, yet…"

I hang my head down and close my eyes, letting out a sigh before replying, "The corpse of a deceased Energy Caster, if not laid on the natural ground at death will stay completely preserved until either buried or cremated. The remaining energy that was left after he protected that counter would have been enough to stop the Phoenix Crystal from burning him up even after he died."

"I didn't even know that," Piper says, her voice low.

Opening my eyes, I look at Mr Rantyll's face; it is so pale, yet looks utterly peaceful, as if he is just sleeping.

"You know that I never knew either set of my grandparents? They passed away before I was born, so Mr Rantyll was always the grandfather I never had," I murmur.

Aerrow steps closer to me and joins me, kneeling. "I'm so sorry you had to see this, Phoenix."

"I used to call him 'pa-pa' when I was just a baby, barely talking at all. I had no idea who he really was, yet I always felt some kind of familiarity with him," I breathe, and reach out to smooth his shirt.

Clearing my throat, I stand up and brush myself off. I stride over to the far left corner of the room and gaze at the blackened stone door.

"The store room is through here?" Piper asks.

"Yeah, just give me a second to try and get it open, Mr Rantyll always kept it locked up good and tight."

Trying the handle of the door, I give it a pull, but it doesn't open.

"The key would have melted in the blaze, I'm going to have to blast through it if I can," I state.

Taking a deep breath, I clear my mind, trying to focus my energy. _I can barely remember the last time I used my energy for blasting anything, _I think to myself. A few seconds later, I am surrounded by a lilac coloured aura, almost white. Bracing myself, I build up the energy and thrust my right hand in front of me, sending a blast of light at the door. Nothing happens.

"Tough door," Aerrow states.

"I don't understand, there was enough energy in that to bring down a cruiser," I utter as I scratch my head and furrow my brow.

"Maybe you just need to use more energy?" Aerrow asks.

"No, the door should not still be standing. It should be a pile of rocks," I respond, frustrated.

Sighing exasperatedly, I rest most of my body weight on my left leg and put my right hand on my hip.

"Do you want to go? We could come back later if you want to," Piper suggests.

I sigh and make to turn then, startling both Aerrow and Piper, I yell out, "HI-YAH!" and as quick as lightning, execute a perfect spinning back kick, landing it dead in the middle of the door.

"Shit, Phoenix! You almost gave me a damn heart attack," Aerrow exclaims.

I turn my head and grin sheepishly at him, "When in doubt, use brute strength."

As I say that, I hear the sound of cracking, and whip my head around to face the dooras it begins to crumble. Seconds later, it collapses into a pile of rubble.

"Well, that works," Piper chuckles.

I step through the small doorway and into the crystal storage room. My eyes dart around the small space, trying to adjust to the darkness.

"Need a light?" Piper asks, handing me the illumination crystal from earlier.

I take it and say thanks, before holding it out in front of me, lighting up the storage room.

"Wow. Mr Rantyll could Give Gundstaff a run for his money," Piper says, a complete look of awe upon her face as she looks around at the assortment of crystals.

"Take what you need; there is also a secondary storage area in the basement." I stride to the middle of the storeroom and kick back the rug, revealing a small hatch. I bend down a pull it open. Handing the illumination crystal back to Piper, I say, "I'll be waiting out here, just give me a yell if you need a hand with anything."

Piper nods in reply and I retreat out into the previous room.

Kneeling back down by Mr Rantyll's side, I gaze at him, wishing that he is only sleeping, but kicking myself inwardly, knowing that he will never wake again. I reach out, and pull his still body towards me, cradling him in my lap, as my eyes begin to well up.

"You shouldn't be dead," I whisper, resting my forehead on the top of his head, "No one should be dead. This is all my fault. I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Phoenix." Aerrow's voice startles me.

"A-Aerrow. How long have you been there?" I place Mr Rantyll's body, back on the floor and stand up, wiping my eyes.

"Not long. I kind of left Piper in her own little world back in there when she started babbling about what crystal does what."

"Oh." I sigh and turn around to face Aerrow and he steps forward, wrapping me in his arms.

"Let's go outside, get some fresh air, Piper will catch up."

"Okay," I say into his chest.

Giving me a squeeze, he lets go and takes my hand, leading me out of the store and back into the street.

I fill my lungs with a welcome breath of fresh air, and spot Junko and Finn waiting on the other side of the street for us. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Aerrow waving them over to join us.

"Find anything?" He asks as they near.

"Nah, just a bunch of ash," Finn replies, and wipes his brow, leaving a trail of dirt across his forehead, "I take it Piper's found the crystal room?"

"Yeah, she's having a blast."

Crossing my arms, I let out a heaving sigh, looking both ways down the ruined street. _I am quite surprised that most of my town is still standing. _I want to go see my parent's graves, but refrain from saying anything, patiently waiting for Piper to emerge from the shop.

Taking a step forward, I whisper to Junko, "Could you please help me with something?"

"Yeah, anything, Phoenix, you know that."

I swallow hard, trying to find the right words, but give up and just spit it out, "Mr Rantyll's body is in there, and I don't think I can lift it on my own. I want to give him a proper funeral. Would you please carry him out for me?"

"Um, yeah, I can do that."

"Thank you, so much, Junko," I whisper and step back, standing beside Aerrow.

"Aerrow, I will wait for Piper to finish in there, and then we will go to the cemetery to bury my grandfather," I state, trying not to let my voice quiver.

"Wait here. I just have to go back to the Condor for something. I'll be five minutes, tops." Aerrow runs off and jumps on his skimmer.

I watch him take off in the direction of the Condor until I lose sight of him and resume standing there, silent.

"Are you okay, Phoenix?" Finn asks, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I place my hand over his, nodding in reply, but inwardly kicking and screaming in emotional agony. _Pain is good, it lets me build up the anger I will need for taking down Cyclonia. _Finn removes his hand from my shoulder and gives me a wry smile, which I struggle to return.

As we are standing here, waiting for Aerrow to return and Piper to emerge, I find my mind drawn back to the letter I read earlier. _28 years of darkness? What the hell does that even mean? _I cannot think of anything that will cause darkness for 28 years. Maybe it was purely metaphorical. On the other hand, maybe something will happen because of me. It is too much to take in; I shake my head to clear all thoughts, and continue to scan up and down the deadly quiet street.

Continuing to look around, my stomach does black flips and my heat drops as I see random bones here and there. Burnt out skimmers line the parking spaces as far as I can see and I have to resist the urge to break down screaming and crying.

"Hey, where is Aerrow?" Piper's voice comes from behind me.

"He said that he had to get something from the Condor," I murmur vaguely.

"Oh, okay."

"Did you find anything of use in there?" I ask.

Piper steps forward and around, so she is facing me.

"Yeah. You will never believe it! I actually found a rare Emeraldian Multi-Striker! I didn't even know these still existed," Piper exclaims excitedly.

"Yeah, it's the last one in existence, pa-pa told only me and Dante about it," I mutter absently.

Piper's expression clouds over for a moment and she steps closer to me, lowering her voice, "Are you okay?"

I close my eyes and swallow before whispering, "I'm trying to be."

"Here," Piper reaches into her bag and pulls out the Multi-Striker, "This belongs to you."

I take it, and grasp it tightly, my knuckles turning white.

"Thank you, Piper." I close my eyes again and fight the rising lump that threatens to make me cry. I place the crystal in my bag on top of the pewter box and begin to thrum my fingers against my thigh, sighing heavily.

Maybe I should not have come here. The façade that I am putting up to hide what I am really feeling is slowly starting to evaporate. The old familiar aching pain in my chest is back, the terrible heartbreak that never completely leaves. Here, on my home Terra, my energy is stronger, but so is the pain. If there was something that could make me feel numb to everything, to not care about anything, I would gladly have it, but the only thing that will come remotely close to making me feel any less shit will be the death of that psycho witch and her evil man-pet. I know I should not be filled with so much hate and the need for revenge so severe, yet, I just cannot help it, I simply cannot help the need for it. Finally being honest with myself, I must admit, I _crave _the feeling of my revenge. And to what do owe this terrible feeling that has begun to take over my being? Can I be honest with myself once more and face the truth? No, no, I can't; I cannot bring myself to believe what I know, deep down, is true.

"Phoenix!" I hear Piper yell from a distance.

"huh?" I turn around, confused.

"Where are you going?"

I've wandered off down the street without even realizing it, caught up in my thoughts. Not wanting to worry anybody, I yell back, "I'm just going for a walk, you lot wait there."

"Okay!"

That should give me some alone time for a little bit. I continue to let my feet do the walking, unconsciously strolling to an unknown destination, letting my thoughts flow back into my mind. I must have really been out of it just now, to not even realize that my feet were moving of their own volition.

"I really need to keep my head about me," I mutter to myself and look down at my feet, "Where are you taking me?"


	20. My Favorite Idiot

**AAAAAnd here is another chapter, read, review, you know the drill. Kind of half-half this one. ENJOY!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty

Finally, I have come to a stop. Looking around, it takes me a moment to realize where I am. This is the last place I was before I left; the place where I was forced to watch Cyclonis and Dark Ace torture my best friend to death.

A coldness grips me all over, filling me from the inside, choking me. My knees hit the ground hard, but I ignore the pain. Is this what despair feels like? Or is this hopelessness? Maybe depression? I just don't know what this feeling is. I never grieved for my lost people, is this what I am doing now?

_The pain._

Oh god, the pain; it is physical, not just emotional. It is tearing me apart, immobilizing me. I look upon the ground and groan in agony; there lies the bones of Dante. Just bones and ash.

_The pain…_

It is crippling, coursing through my entire being like poison. My eyes overflow, an inundation of tears, streaming down my face, not stopping. I run my hand along the bones.

_The pain!_

I punch the ground, making a small could of ash and dust around my hand. I'm lost; I don't know what to do. I can't do anything except kneel here and cry over my dead friend. I cannot take it anymore; throwing my head back, a strident scream rips though my lungs until there is no air left in me and my throat is raw. My arms are drooped either side of me and I hang my head back down, crying loudly, not holding anything back.

"Phoenix! Phoenix, where are you? Phoenix?!"

I hear Aerrow frantically shouting, trying to find me. He must have heard my screaming. I don't do or say anything; I just stay kneeling, crying.

"Phoenix?!"

Piper and Finn's voices have joined Aerrow's.

"PHOENIX?!"

Their voices are closer. They can probably see me now. I continue to cry, taking deep shuddering breaths.

"Phoenix, are you okay?!"

I can hear Aerrow's feet pounding towards me. I do not move, I cannot move, I can barely breathe through the sobs. Aerrow slides to a stop, landing on his knees beside me, causing a cloud of dust to surround us. He grabs my shoulders, forcing me to face him, and shakes me, his eyes wide. I am like a rag doll, being shaken about.

"What happened?!" Aerrow practically shouts.

I say nothing; just stare blankly at him, blinking the tears from my eyes every so often.

"Talk to me!"

Continuing to stare blankly, Aerrow shakes me again.

"Please! Talk, Phoenix!" He yells, his eyes overflowing with apprehension.

Still, I do not say anything. Aerrow suddenly pulls me into his arms, cradling me like a small child, when his eyes divert to the right; falling upon the remains of Dante.

"I'm sorry, I should not have brought you back here," he whispers and brushes some hair off my face before holding me tightly to his chest, where I continue to weep.

My entire body is cold and numb, not even Aerrow's body heat can warm me. This coldness comes from deep within, nothing can make me warm.

"Let's get you back," Aerrow murmurs into my hair.

He stands up in one fluid movement, with me in his arms and begins to carry me back; back through my town, back to his skimmer.

Aerrow throws his leg over the seat then sits down, still holding me. With one hand, he starts his skimmer and takes off. The wind blows my hair everywhere, and stings my eyes, making them dry. Over the wind, I can hear Aerrow telling Stork to open the hanger doors.

Soon enough, the Condor comes into view and Aerrow swiftly guides the ride into the hanger, parking it and switching off the ignition, before carrying me all the way to his bedroom.

Placing me down on his bed, Aerrow covers me with the blanket and fixes the pillow, before climbing in behind me and wrapping me in his arms once more.

We lay here for what seem like hours, not moving, not talking. Occasionally, Aerrow will brush his fingers through my hair or across my cheek.

It feels like I have lost the ability to do anything apart from breath and blink. The sobbing has stopped, but every now and then, a tear will escape and roll down my face silently, leaving a warm trail in its wake. My body is in a waking coma, and I can't do a thing about it, except lay here until I regain my basic motor and cognitive skills.

"Hey, do you feel like talking?" Aerrow whispers gently in my ear.

It is not as if I do not want to talk, I just cannot find my voice. When he realizes that I am not going to answer him, he kisses me on my temple, and proceeds to brush his fingers through my hair.

The sun has long since set, and I have managed to roll onto my back. I stare up at the ceiling, noticing random patterns here and there. The rumble of the Condor's engines gives my mind something to focus on besides the comatose state in which I am currently in.

I should have known that this would happen, I never gave myself time to grieve, and so it has been building up inside me all this time, waiting to burst out.

Aerrow left maybe two hours ago, to go back and bury Mr Rantyll for me. He should be back soon.

As soon as the thought enters my mind, I hear the click of the door and Aerrow walks in; the rug muffles his footsteps as he approaches.

"Hey, are you alright?" Out of the corner of my eye, I see him kneel down beside the bed, "I brought you some water, here."

I manage to turn my head to face him, and eye the glass of water he is holding up to me. Blinking slowly, I eye the glass for a second longer before turning my head back, so that I am facing the ceiling again.

"I'll leave it here for you." I hear the sound of the glass being placed on the bedside table as Aerrow takes my right hand in his. "I'm starting to worry, please say something."

I turn my head again, catch a glimpse of his eyes, full of concern, and let out a deep breath through my nose, before diverting my gaze to his mouth. His lips look chafed and there is a smudge of dirt on his chin. I blink slowly and focus my gaze on something over his left shoulder.

Aerrow moves in so he is leaning over me and with his free hand, strokes my cheek. "Please baby, just say something, anything," he breathes.

His breath wafts over me and I detect a scent of liquor in it. Aerrow never drinks, not unless it is a special occasion or if he is in a state of despondency.

_Oh Aerrow. _My eyes travel to meet his of their own volition and I force my mouth open to try to speak. I try hard to articulate some kind of sentence, but no words come out. _Speak. _I will myself to produce some form of sound. Nothing.

"Please…just say something," Aerrow whispers, and hangs his head down so that his hair covers most of his face from my view. I have to speak – at least make a sound – to let him know I have not become some kind of invalid.

Swallowing hard, I take a deep breath and make a second attempt at speaking. No words come out, only a strangled groan. Aerrow Looks up immediately, an expectant expression on his face.

_Even if I am able to speak, what can I say?_

"Go on," Aerrow encourages gently.

"Aer…" I manage to croak half of his name.

_Stupid, Just fucking talk. _

Scrunching my eyes closed, I clear my throat and try again.

"Aerrow." _Success! _

"Oh, thank fuck," he whispers under his breath. "Are you okay?"

I don't answer right away; I focus on trying to push myself up into a sitting position. Aerrow notices what I am trying to do and helps me, placing his hands under my arms and lifting me so I am now resting with my back against the headboard.

"Water," I croak quietly.

Aerrow hands me the glass and I take a tentative sip, feeling the cool water sliding down my throat, somewhat relieving the soreness.

"Are you okay?" he asks again.

I blink slowly and shake my head once. "You've been drinking." My voice is hoarse and faltering.

"Not a lot," Aerrow replies, his face impassive.

"Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Making you worry about me," I breathe quietly.

"No, I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't have taken you back there."

I take another tentative sip of water and place the glass back down on the bedside table.

"Did you give Mr Rantyll a good burial?" I ask croakily.

Aerrow grasps my hand and squeezes it gently, "Yeah. Piper made a good speech. We buried him next to your parents."

"Oh. Thank you Aerrow, I appreciate it," I mutter and stare down at my free hand in my lap.

"We also, um… We buried Dante, too," he whispers quietly.

"Okay," I mumble in reply and once again feel heavy in my heart.

"I'm really sorry, Phoenix, I shouldn't have made you go back."

"Forget about it, I'm okay now," I lie, trying to convince both Aerrow and myself.

"Your wound has opened again," Aerrow mutters bitterly.

"Has it? I didn't notice."

"Wait here, I think I might have a bandage in my bathroom."

Aerrow stands up and walks into his bathroom, and I can hear cabinet doors being opened and closed, while he searches for a bandage. Moments later, he emerges, a rolled bandage in one hand and a wet face washer in the other, and strides back over to the bed, sitting down on the edge.

"Move your hair out of the way."

I do as Aerrow asks, and pull my hair over my shoulder, allowing him access to clean my cut…again.

"Hold still, I don't want to hurt you," he whispers gently.

"Okay." I hold still, but not that it matters if he hurts me, I am still numb all over, still cold, so cold.

_So cold. _The words echo in my mind, like a whispered mantra that is conjuring itself, without my thinking about it.

_So cold. _ It is not me thinking them; it is something inside of me, something deep inside.

_So cold. _Over and over, the words are just being repeated, again and again. I can't halt them.

_So cold. _"Stop!" I nearly yell, making Aerrow jump.

"Did I hurt you?" he asks.

"No," I mutter.

"What is it?"

"Never mind, it's nothing. I just got lost in an unpleasant thought, that's all." I put my head in my hands and sigh, bringing my knees up to rest my elbows on them. "So cold," the words leave my mouth unconsciously, and I shudder involuntarily.

"Phoenix?" Aerrow breathes, his voice thickly laced with concern.

"Aerrow," I say his name and my voice cracks. In a sudden movement, I lunge forward and throw my arms around him, burying my face into his neck, holding him tightly. Hesitating for a moment, Aerrow slowly puts his arms around me, and holds me close, stroking my hair as I begin to sob into him.

"Things will get better, I promise. Please don't cry, Phoenix, you're usually so strong," Aerrow says, and kisses the top of my head. His words make me cry harder. Strong? Maybe I used to be. I am a broken woman; I have been for the last year or so. No, I am not strong, not tough. I am nothing but anger and hurt. And revenge. I am revenge personified. After that, I am nothing but a murderer.

My thoughts are scattered, why am I only managing to think negative? I need to pull myself together. Pushing away from Aerrow, I sit back, dashing the tears from my eyes and face and wipe my gloved hand across my nose, sniffling as I do so.

"Sorry," I mumble, and look down at my wringing hands in my lap. Aerrow places a finger under my chin, coaxing my head up, so that my eyes meet his.

"Don't apologize all the time, love, it's not necessary," he breathes kindly.

I force a wry smile onto my face and Aerrow shifts closer, placing his right hand on my knee and gives it a soft squeeze before picking up the face washer again and gesturing for me to move my hair out the way. Continuing to dab away at the dried – and some fresh – blood until he is satisfied that it is clean enough before unrolling the bandage a little.

"Do you have a hair-tie?" he asks.

"There might be one in my purse," I mumble.

Aerrow reaches down and hands me my purse. I open it and dig around for a hair-tie, my hand brushing past the pewter box and crystal that are still in there. Finally, right at the bottom, I grasp a hair-tie and pull it out, placing my bag down beside the bed.

"Put your hair up, out of the way, I'll put this on." Aerrow holds up the bandage slightly, and I begin to gather my hair into a ponytail, before wrapping it around itself on top of my head and fastening it in place with the tie. A few tendrils fall out, over my face and Aerrow brushes them behind my ear before starting to wrap the bandage around my neck.

"That's not too tight is it?" he asks.

"No, it's fine."

He continues until the entire bandage is covering my neck and he fastens it in place with a safety pin.

"That should do it. Take it off for showers and that, but remember to put it back on so your wound won't get infected, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." I look around the room and my eyes fall upon the window; I gaze out, focusing on the moon. "What time is it?" I ask, turning back to face Aerrow.

"About ten, maybe even midnight, I haven't actually properly checked," he replies.

"Okay." _Later than I thought. _"Are we going anywhere in particular?" I ask.

"Yeah, Piper set a course for a deserted Terra near Tropica; that will keep Finn and Junko occupied for a while. After that, I'm not sure, so I think we'll stick around there for a week, unless we're needed."

We sit in silence for a few minutes, occasionally glancing at each other. Keeping quiet gives me time to think; that is not always a good thing, though. My thoughts come to rest around my home; we were only there for barely over an hour at the most. I didn't even get to see if my house was still standing, or see visit my parents' graves. I didn't get to explore my forest like I used to, I didn't get to retrieve the time capsule…

As if reading my mind, Aerrow stands up and rummages through his tallboy dresser, pulling out a metal box. _It can't be._

"Before we left, I got this back for you," he says as he strides back over and sits down, handing me the box.

"I was just thinking about this," I mutter, somewhat happily surprised.

I run my fingers over the dirt-encrusted lid before releasing the clasp and opening it. I reach in and pull out the photo, gazing at it, at Dante.

Two things hit me at that moment; the first being the realization that no matter what I do to avenge him – and everyone else that lived on my Terra – the pain of missing him will never go away. The second being that deep inside I know that I always have, still do and always will be…In love with him. I never told him, I knew I should have, but never plucked up the courage to actually say it to his face. I always thought that staying friends was for the best. Maybe not. And knowing that, in the last few moments of his life, he was in love with me makes it hurt more. I always suspected, but was too afraid to ask.

I used to dream about watching three brown-haired, fiery orange-eyed children running about and laughing until the sun went down. I used to dream of coming home from patrol to a warm house, and into warm arms. I used to dream. _I used to dream._ The thought echoes.

No longer do I dream of children, and warm homes or warm arms. No. All my dreams consist of now, is the downfall of the Cyclonian Empire. Nothing good and heart-warming, just revenge; revenge is all I dream of.

"Hey," Aerrow says quietly, bringing my thoughts back to the present, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I mutter, placing the picture back into the box, and closing it a little more forcefully than I intend to, "I'm fine."

Aerrow smiles, a sad, wry smile and clasps my hand in his. "You're changing. I've been noticing it for months," he whispers.

"Everyone changes, Aerrow, that's just life," I say, trying to avoid the impending conversation about good and bad and all that other shit.

"I know that. It's just…" his voice fades away and he looks out the window.

"What Aerrow? Is it that I'm not the happy young girl I used to be? Is it that all I ever talk about is bringing Cyclonia down?"

"Phoenix, it's just –"

"I don't need a lecture, Aerrow," I cut his sentence short.

"Please, I wasn't going to lecture you about anything. It's just that even now, you're so quick to jump to a negative conclusion, and you bite people's heads off before even letting them explain," Aerrow says in a small, apologetic voice.

"Well, guess what? I am not just going to stand by and be an observer while the Atmos gets destroyed, while evil overtakes it completely. How can you just sit around and let _him _live? He killed your parents for fuck's sake, Aerrow!"

"Please…Just stop it."

"I'm sorry," I breathe, filling up with shame. I shouldn't have brought that up.

"Please, don't treat me like I'm your enemy. You mean so much to me and I don't want to see you become like _them._ You're a good person."

"No. No, I'm not a good person," I murmur.

"Yes you are, don't ever doubt it," Aerrow insists.

"Would a good person stay awake at night planning revenge and murder? Would a good person even consider it?"

"No matter what you say or do, you will always be a good person, to me. Someone fed up with the justice system would do what you are doing. I want you to know that I support you in this. I may not have at first, but I know that it has to be done."

"I'm so sorry, Aerrow. I know I'm changing. It's something inside of me, taking over…It has been for a while. That's why I have to do it alone, bring down Cyclonia, I mean."

"If anything goes wrong, you contact me as soon as you can. That's an order," Aerrow says gently.

The last three words make me smile. "You must like giving me orders, Captain."

"It's growing on me," he smirks back.

"In a week and a half, your orders will no longer hold any authority over me," I murmur. My heart sinks, knowing that I will not be a part of the team anymore.

"So soon," Aerrow breathes, and sighs, then a cheeky glint appears in his eyes, "I might have to order you around more, to make up for the times I haven't."

"Nice try, Captain, but have I ever been one to actually stick to my orders?" I challenge. The playful banter has lightened my mood considerably, but the weight in my chest is still present.

"Hmm, yeah, you have a point." Winking at me, Aerrow strokes his chin with his thumb and index finger, and a giggle bubbles up and escapes my lips at his mock thoughtfulness. I cannot deny that I do, in fact, love this man, but the kind of love I have for him is different to what I felt – _feel _– for Dante.

"Aerrow," I murmur quietly, kindly, "Can I tell you something?"

"Yeah, anything," he replies, kindness plastered to his gaze.

"Before I do say anything," I pause for a moment, gathering my courage to admit it to him, "I want you to know that – even though we aren't together – I do love you, and nothing will change that, and I don't want you to get the wrong idea about anything I say."

"Should I be worried? You're starting to babble," Aerrow asks, and raises a half-amused, half-concerned eyebrow.

"It's about Dante," I whisper, averting my gaze. I feel my cheeks flushing.

"Go on," Aerrow urges kindly.

Lowering my voice to just under a whisper I say, "I loved him Aerrow. I-I still do."

I hear Aerrow let out a breath and he places a finger under my chin, bring my head up to look at him. "I know," he whispers gently.

"Y-you do?" I stutter.

"Yeah. And he, you. I have always known that, Phoenix."

"Really?"

"Really. When I realised that you two had it for each other, I kind of backed off a little bit, you know, gave Dante the chance to ask you out, but it never happened."

"Aerrow…" My voice fades. I cannot articulate a sentence.

"He didn't like me much, did he?" Aerrow asks, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"He did like you, Aerrow; you were the only person besides me who he actually thought of as a true friend. I think he was just…Jealous of you."

"Jealous." He tests the word and shakes his head a little, a sad smile tugging on his lips. "I think it's the other way around," Aerrow whispers, a hint of humour in his voice.

"Can I ask, how did you know?"

"Your eyes, Phoenix. Even if you say nothing, your eyes will tell me. The way you look at him, the way you used to look at him. It just wasn't hard to guess."

I lean forward and rest my right elbow on my leg, and my chin on my supported hand. Sighing, I let my eyes wander about, searching around Aerrow's room for nothing in particular, but just for the sake of it. _Aerrow_, his name seems to be whispered into my mind, by an entity not of this world, like the twin of the previous whispers, but not sinister. Aerrow, he has been here for me for so long now. He has become my support and more than a friend, and maybe, just _maybe_, I will be able to dream again one day because of him. But can I give him the love that he deserves? What if I haven't been; what if I have just been going along with it, because I want at least a little normality in my life? No. No, I do love him.

"What are you thinking about?" Aerrow's soft voice breaks through my thoughts, sending them out of my mind, and being replaced with his gently spoken words.

"I don't deserve to have someone like you. It feels so wrong. You are so…I don't know. And I feel like that I am imposing on your life. It's very…confusing…In my mind right now," I say quietly.

Aerrow tilts his head to the side and says, "You have every right to be in my life as much as the rest of the team, Phoenix, don't forget that. And as for your mind being scattered and all over the place, I suggest you try to get that under control, seeing as you only have a week and a half left until your…mission."

"Thank you, Aerrow."

"For what?"

"Being there, helping keep me relatively sane, giving me somewhere to live, letting me be a part of the team; the list is endless. The amount of times you have helped me out and I have never given you a proper thanks. If there was something I could do to let you see how grateful I am, I would do it."

Smiling kindly at me, Aerrow leans forward and plants a soft kiss on my forehead. "I know you're grateful, there's no need to say it." I plaster a grin onto my lips. "Eyes," Aerrow mouths, and I blink deliberately slowly.

I smile weakly at him and reach up, taking the hair tie out of my hair and letting if fall and flow around my shoulders, down my back and over my front, nearly covering me entirely.

"You look in need of a haircut," Aerrow points out.

"I think I might keep it long. My mother always wanted me to grow my hair long," I reply, smiling at one of the many memories of my mother ranting about me cutting my hair. "Why did you shorten your hair, Phoenix? Girls should have long hair, Phoenix," I voice some of the words I heard so many times when I was younger.

Aerrow chuckles, and says, "It does seem to suit you."

"I used to use my energy casting to make it shorter. I did it front of mum once, and she flipped out," I giggle.

"I remember something like that," Aerrow laughs. "Didn't you change the colour, too?"

"Yes. Yes I did, bright green, I think it was, just highlights, nothing dramatic, but mum was _not_ pleased." I smile fondly at that particular memory.

"Stay like this: happy and smiling. This is who you truly are, don't let the hurt and anger change you," Aerrow breathes quietly.

"You're the only person who can make me remember myself, Aerrow. I thank you for that. I Promise I will try not to change," I breathe back.

A smile tugs at Aerrow's lips and he leans forward, kissing me gently, his lips lingering on mine for a second. I move my hand up and rest it on his left cheek, feeling a little stubble under my fingers. Without thinking, my lips begin to move around his, kissing him with a ferocious need. He reciprocates, and deepens the kiss, pulling me to him, and holding me around the waist.

All too soon, it is over, and I am left with my heart pounding, and the feeling of adrenaline pumping through my veins. Steadying my breathing, I sit back and reach for the glass of water, taking a long sip, before placing it back on the bedside table.

"Do you mind if I sleep here tonight?" I ask.

"Not at all. It's quite late, we should go to sleep."

"Okay." With any luck I might not remember my dream in the morning. Climbing in beside me, Aerrow deactivates the small illumination crystal on the bedside table and wraps his arms around me, burying his face in my hair. "Good night, Phoenix, sleep well."

"Good night, Aerrow."

I focus on the rumbling sound of the Condor's engines and in no time, I begin to drift off.

* * *

_My forest. I am in my forest. Dante. Dante is here too. Where abouts in the forest are we? I look around. The clearing. We are in the clearing. It is dark. Unusual. It is not usually dark in the forest; the leaves on the trees normally retain the light of the sun and shine when it is dark. Not here. Not here. It is strange. Dante. Dante is here with me. Dante cannot be here with me. Dante is dead. _

You are dreaming, _a voice whispers through the trees. It did not whisper through the trees, it was a thought. A thought from my own mind. Dante. Dante walks over to me._

"_Phoenix." His voice is just above a whisper. He does not look like Dante. He is shimmering as if he was see through. But I cannot see through him. _

"_Dante." My voice is a whisper, and echoes quietly around the forest._

"_I thought I would never see you again," he says, and smiles, his eyes holding a sad promise. _

"_This is just a dream, you're not really here," I whisper sadly._

"_No Phoenix, I am here. It is a dream, but I am here."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Hold my hand." I take his proffered hand. It is warm, solid. He feels completely physical, like if I woke up right now, he would be holding my hand for real._

"_What is this?" I ask._

"_I am a physical ghost at this present time. I have been watching over you, so to speak. I have been trying to do this for months, but it never works properly."_

"_Do what? You mean appear in my dreams?" I ask, tilting my head to the side._

"_Yes. The so-called nightmares you have every night, the colours that make me, and unmake me deforming; that is me trying to do what I am doing now. I have finally got it, but I don't have much time. The perception of time in dreams is different from reality, so I have to be quick."_

"_Go on," I urge, savouring the sound of his sweet, velvet voice, filling my ears, and swelling my heart._

"_What you think is right, might be wrong. The path you have chosen is stained in blood. 28 years of darkness will steal you."_

"_What did you just say?" My mouth is agape._

"_This is the message I have been trying to give you. Be careful, Phoenix," Dante whispers._

"_28 years of darkness. That was written in that letter, by Mr Rantyll…Corvus, my grandfather. Dante, I know it is not right, but I have to do it. I'm sorry."_

"_I know. I know everything now. I have seen what will happen, I have met Corvus. And I know that you loved me too."_

_I squeeze his hand. This must just be a dream; today's events manipulating my subconscious._

"_This is a dream, Phoenix, but not just a random dream. I am here, I am real. My body is dead, but my soul is still alive. Are you lucid?"_

"_Lucid?" I drop Dante's hand and step back. Am I lucid? I must be, I'm controlling what I say and do._

"_Yes, you are. Spin around," he says._

_I give him a questioning look, but decide to humour him. Standing on my tip toes, I twirl around once. _

"_Okay, so I am lucid," I murmur. I look Dante in the eyes, "You really here, aren't you?"_

"_Yeah, I'm here. But I have to go soon. I wish I could stay longer, there are so many things I wish I could tell you, to do with you."_

"_Stay, please. I don't want to lose you again," I whisper, feeling that familiar lump rising in my throat. _

"_You're going to wake up soon; I can't stay with you in the waking world." He smiles sadly, then steps forward, enveloping me in his arms. _

"_I miss you so much."_

"_I know. But I am always with you. I see you are finally wearing the jewellery I gave you."_

"_Yes, I feel you when I wear it." I bury my face into his chest and breathe in his scent, wrapping my arms around his waist, and holding tightly. "You feel so real."_

"_I am real, but only here." Dante lets go of me and takes a half step back, looking down into my face. I have missed those eyes, those fiery, orange brown eyes. Stooping down, he brings his face close to mine, our noses touching slightly, and his hair tickling my face. I blow it out of the way and he chuckles then smiles a lopsided smile. _

"_If you see my mum and dad, tell them I love them," I whisper. _

_Dante smiles again, and places his lips upon mine, gently at first, and then he kisses me with the fervour of a man in a desert, desperate for water. I kiss him back, holding his upper arms for support. If only this had of happened when he was alive. The thought makes me kiss him harder, as if it will bring him back to life. But of course it won't, this is as close as I will ever get to being with him again. My brow furrows and my eyes overflow, but I do not stop. Maybe if I keep kissing him, he won't disappear. _

_Moments later, his lips leave mine, completely bereft, wanting more. This is it. _

"_I have to go now," Dante whispers huskily. _

"_No, don't." My voice breaks, and I grab his hand, holding it to my face._

"_I'm sorry, P.C, I have to," he smiles, but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. _P.C_ I haven't been call that in so long._

_I gaze into his eyes, silently begging him to stay, but he shakes his head mournfully. Light is shining through the trees, I will wake up soon. As that thought crosses my mind, Dante begins to shimmer, like a ghost, and slowly appears to dissolve into millions of tiny diamonds, floating up wards, from his feet._

"_Please, don't leave me, I love you Dante," I choke out hoarsely._

"_I know. Good-bye Phoenix." His last expression is one of cheekiness; he smiles and winks before finally, the rest of him is dissolved into tiny diamonds, floating to the sky._

"_No," I whisper, not bothering to dash the tears from my face. "Dante, come back! Please! Don't you leave me again, Dante Amicus!" I yell at the sky, sinking to my knees. I pound my fist into the ground and hug myself._

"_I never truly left." Dante's disembodied voice whispers through the trees, through me, filling me, lifting me._

"_Idiot," I mutter._

"_Your favourite idiot," his voice whispers then fades away completely, leaving my ears ringing with silence. I small chuckle escapes my lips and I look back into the sky._

"_Yeah, my favorite idiot," I whisper. I will wake any second now, I can feel it. Closing my eyes, I let my arms drop to my sides and a smile tugs at my lips._

* * *

I blink awake, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. My eyes, they're wet, as if I have been crying.

_Oh, right, I was crying in my sleep. _

I take a deep breath and sit up, running my right hand through my hair.

"Hey, you're awake." Aerrow is sitting at his desk, his head propped up on his left hand.

"Yeah," I mumble through my sleepiness.

"You had a different dream last night. What was it?" He asks, cocking his head to the side. A smile forces its way onto my lips.

"It was different. And it was not quite a dream. Dante appeared to me, it was really him.

"Ahh, your favourite idiot," Aerrow smiles at me.

"I take it I was sleep talking then?"

"Yes, you have quite a habit of doing that." Aerrow stand up and hands me a glass of water.

"Thanks," I say as I take it and gulp it down, placing the empty glass on the bedside table. "What are the plans for today?" I ask.

"Well, I was just going to do a little training, you can spar with me, if you want."

"Yeah, I'll do that. And beat you," I wink at him.

"You wish," Aerrow smiles.

"I'm going for a shower, and breakfast. Then I will you put your arse down, Captain," I laugh as I throw back the bed covers and stand up.

"Whatever you say. Meet me on the landing strip, and We'll see who is better."

"Challenge accepted, Captain."

With that, I stride past him, picking up my bag and heading to my room for some fresh clothes before going to the bathroom.


	21. First Battle

**Here's another nice little chapter ! I hope you enjoys reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review, I like them things :P**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One

"Not getting exhausted are you, Sky Knight?" Aerrow jeers smugly after back flipping out of reach of my forward thrust.

"Not even, Captain," I jeer back, narrowing my eyes, and dash forward quickly, swiping my blades as I do so. With lightning fast reflexes, Aerrow blocks my attack and counters, swinging his left blade for my midsection. Using the force of the blades pushing together, I leap off the ground and spin in mid-air, avoiding the blade and land behind Aerrow, facing the back of his head.

I wrap my arms around him, with my blades hanging loosely.

"I win, Captain," I whisper in his ear.

"Have you?" Aerrow challenges, and suddenly, grabbing my wrists, pulls me over his shoulder, so I land on my back with a soft _thump_. He then kneels down, resting his left knee on my chest lightly, and pointing his blade at my face.

I roll my eyes and push him off me, standing up and brushing myself off.

"I win, Sky Knight," Aerrow winks at me.

"Only because I let you," I retort, poking my tongue out.

"If you say so." Aerrow wipes his brow and takes a seat in the shade. "Take a break, and we'll continue without weapons next round."

I walk over and Join Aerrow in the shade, flopping down on one of the fold out chairs and picking up my water bottle, taking a long sip. Glancing sideways, I catch Aerrow gazing at me, and I raise my eyebrow at him.

"You said earlier that Dante appeared to you in your dream. Do you mean like a ghost?" Aerrow asks.

"Yes, sort of like a ghost. A _physical ghost_ he called himself," I reply, and blush at the memory of Dante's lips possessing mine.

"Maybe you're some kind of psychic? Corvus was, so maybe you are too?" Aerrow suggests.

"I doubt it. I have never predicted anything. I think last night was a once off."

Aerrow shrugs and places his hands behind his head, relaxing.

The weather today is nice. It is not too hot, but not cold; it is sitting somewhere in between, with a cool breeze and a warm sun. The sky is the clearest blue, and the clouds beneath us are pearly white. A lovely day for training and fresh air. I fill my lungs with the clean crisp air and relax into the chair a little, letting my mind drift back to last night's dream. It felt so damn real, except for the forest; that was the only giveaway to indicate that it was in fact, just a dream.

_Just a dream._ But Dante was there, he was definitely there, and so was I. It was not any dream; it was some kind of meeting on some kind of astral plane, between our souls. That much I can be certain of.

Maybe it won't be the last time I will see him, there might be other times. That thought fills me with hope, and a small smile touches my lips, and then falters when the thought crosses my mind that it might be the only time and I might never see him again.

_He was happy, not in pain. Now I can remember his last moments as smiling, instead of agony. _At the same time, I am filled with both happiness, and grief. Happiness that I saw him, kissed him, told him how I felt all along. Grief, because it just was not real enough, and I will never see brown haired, fiery orange eyed children playing, laughing, and running around.

That is when the anger begins to fill me from the inside, and my energy flares up, a dark red aura with murky grey swirling through it. Not only did that evil psychotic witch destroy my friends and family, she took away my chance to ever meet children. She will fall at my hand, and I will enjoy it.

"What are you glowing about?" Aerrow's words break through, bringing my mind back to the present.

"Cyclonis. She took everything away," I say through clenched teeth. "You probably don't want to hear me go on about it," I mumble, and sigh.

Aerrow bites his lip and does not say anything.

"Come on, let's keep going," I say, jumping up and striding to the middle of the landing strip, waiting for Aerrow.

Slowly, he pushes himself up off the chair and joins me, taking up a pose.

"Sky-Fu, what style are you using?" I ask as I stretch and limber up.

"Tiger. You?"

"Dragon," I reply, taking up my stance.

"Of Course," Aerrow rolls his eyes playfully.

The only person that I have trouble beating with this style is Piper, in fact using any style is hard to beat Piper, she's good.

I watch as Aerrow curls his fingers and takes up his stance, and wait for him to make the first move. With lightning quick precision and accuracy, he strikes first, I have to spin out of the way and counter, bringing my hand down upon his shoulder and jump back, as he nearly counters my counter.

"You've been practicing," I state appreciatively, looking him up and down. My aura has dimmed slightly, but is still visible.

"Yeah, I will beat you one of these days," Aerrow replies cockily.

I smile at him and, taking him off guard, strike, quickly with force, knocking him back. Aerrow counters easily, swiping at me. I dodge and flip back to put about a metre and a half between us.

"Best out of five?" he pants, determination in his eyes.

"Sounds good," I reply.

We continue striking at each other for about 15 minutes, neither of us landing a blow, each countering perfectly.

_How is he doing that?_ I think to myself. Aerrow has not broken stance once, and that is saying something.

Another half hour later, we are still going at it. Finally, Aerrow jumps back out of the way of my attack and holds his hands up in surrender.

"Alright, let's call it. You win," he pants, leaning on his knees and catching his breath.

"You've gotten better, you could probably have beaten me if we kept going," I reply and make my way to the chairs in the shade. Aerrow follows and sits down beside me.

Taking a long drink from my water bottle, I cross my legs and lean back, relaxing into the chair, as Aerrow takes a drink, from his.

"One day, Phoenix. One day I will beat you and it shall be a marvellous victory," he laughs at me.

"Keep dreaming, Aerrow. Until you're at Piper's level of skill, I don't see your victory at all," I wink at him.

He shakes his head at me and relaxes into the chair, looking up at the sky.

"Nice day today," he murmurs.

"That it is. Any idea when we'll reach our destination?" I ask, placing my arm behind my head.

"By nightfall at the latest, so we have basically all day to kill. What do you want to do?"

"Sit here," I reply vaguely, closing my eyes.

"Your aura has disappeared," Aerrow states, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I just needed to let off a bit of steam. The sparring helped," I mumble.

"I noticed." I hear a half smile in Aerrow's words and turn my head to face him.

"You haven't asked me much about the dream I had last night."

"That's because I heard half of it, and the rest is probably none of my business," he shrugs in reply.

"Fair enough."

I gaze into Aerrow's eyes; green jewels, shining like bright stars. The eyes hold so much, and say more than any mouth could. What wondrous things they are.

"You're staring."

"Yeah, I just really like your eyes." I blush as I say that, and a smile touches the corners of my mouth.

"I see." Aerrow pretends to batt his lashes, making me giggle.

Maybe I could see myself with this man in a few years, burgundy haired kids running about. Maybe.

"If I succeed at this mission, do you want to start fresh?" I ask the question without thinking.

Aerrow eyes me for a moment before replying. "You mean, _when_ you succeed, right?"

I shake my head and sigh, "yeah, when."

"I would love to start fresh with you. Maybe we can buy a beach house on Tropica?"

I laugh at him; he knows that I have never really been too fond of the beach, or tropical climates. "We'll see. How about we just stick to picnics at first?"

Aerrow chuckles. "Fine by me," he says.

I smile at him and return to gazing up into the sky, spotting a flock of birds flying in the distance. How great it would be to be a bird, no worries, just free to fly wherever you wanted.

My daydream is interrupted by clanging and clashing sounds, coming from the hanger. I turn my head to the open door and see Junko working on my ride. Well, the quiet was good while it lasted.

Occasionally, I glance at Aerrow's wristwatch to check the time; we have been sitting here for about two and a half hours, listening to Junko banging away in the hanger.

Every now and then, I catch the scent of the ocean on the wind; we must be getting close. Stretching out, I turn on my side and face Aerrow, who grins warmly at me.

"We should rig up that skeet system so I can work my energy," I mumble vaguely.

"Yeah, okay," Aerrow replies, then stands up and disappears into the hanger.

He returns wheeling the skeet system behind him and stops in the middle of the landing strip, setting it up.

I watch him, noticing his muscles flexing every so often and giggle at myself. _Perving on the Captain? _

_Shut up brain, I can do what I want._

Aerrow turns around and raises an eyebrow at me, a half smile touching his lips. "What?" He asks.

"Nothing," I reply, blushing and biting back a laugh.

Aerrow rolls his eyes and gestures for me to come over. Sighing, I – reluctantly – push myself up off the chair and stride over to stand next to him, slapping his behind lightly.

"Well, hello," he winks down at me and puts an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. "What angle do you want?"

"Um, I don't know, let one out, and we'll see if it's okay," I reply. Stepping back from him, Aerrow bends down and turns on the machine, which gives a spluttering sound before releasing a disc.

Taking note of the trajectory and the fact that we are moving, I watch the disc reach its highest point before falling and disappearing through the clouds.

"Is that okay?" Aerrow asks.

"That's set at seventy degrees, right?"

"Yeah."

"That's fine. Load it up," I smile at him.

Stacking a pile of discs into the machine, Aerrow starts it and the first disc flies out. Concentrating my energy into my hands, I send a blast towards the disc and it shatters into a million pieces.

"Nice shot," Aerrow praises me, as the next disc flies free.

"Best out of ten?" I ask, sending another blast of energy towards my target.

"You're on," Aerrow replies, and grabs his Energy Blades from their sheaths on his back.

Blasting the tenth disc out of the air, I turn to Aerrow and say, "beat that."

"With pleasure," he winks at me.

I count the discs, the shots fired from Aerrow's blades. Perfect every time.

Rocking back on my heels, I put my hands on my hips. "Draw," I state, feeling a little annoyed.

"I'm too good," Aerrow states smugly.

"If you say so, but you didn't even beat me." I roll my eyes at him and begin to walk back over to the chairs in the shade. I notice that the sun is sitting low in the sky; we must be close to our destination.

Sitting down, once again, I find my eyes upon Aerrow. It's not so wrong to allow myself the guilty pleasure of admiring him is it? A part of me knows it's wrong to be involved at such a critical time, but I may never get this again; I need to leave on good terms just in case.

_Good terms, or great sex? _The annoying little voice in the back of my mind whispers. Oh, how I frustrate myself. Maybe when this is all over I can grant myself a fresh start and a happy ending, but until then, I need to keep my distance from any romantic involvement, especially with Aerrow. Stupid Cyclonis and her stupid regiment of evil, I will stop her at all costs, just to make the Atmos a better place. Just to spite that evil slag, I _will _watch burgundy haired, green-eyed children, running about and laughing, I _will_ have a warm home to come back to, and I _will_ return safe in to Aerrow's arms.

Stretching my arms above my head, I notice that the banging has stopped and it is quiet. I stand up and walk into the hanger, where Aerrow is putting back the skeet-shooting machine. Junk is leaning up against a wall near my Skimmer with his arms crossed, admiring his work.

"Don't tell me that you're finished already?" I ask, raising my eyebrows appreciatively.

Junko grins and replies, "Yeah, all done."

"I thought you said it would take a few days?"

"I thought it would, but your ride is so smooth work with, hardly any damage at all. It was easy."

I walk over to my ride and admire Junko's handiwork. "Thanks Junko, it looks great." I pat him on the shoulder and I see the pride in his eyes.

"No problem at all."

Hearing Aerrow's footsteps behind me, I turn slowly and face him. "Think we'll be landing soon?" I ask.

"Probably, Piper did say before nightfall, and it's nearing sunset, I'd say about another hour," he replies.

I nod and turn my attention to my ride. Diamond Blue with emerald green on the wings, the shields still the emblem of my former Squadron; a Phoenix with its wings extending and its head thrown back, and an aura-like glow around the circular frame, lined with carvings of tiny trees. Looking at it, I am filled with memories of the first Battle I led my Squadron into. We were defending our Terra's crystal supply from Night Crawlers.

* * *

_Running down the corridor to the helm, I burst through the doors._

"_Kyriessa! Take us down, we've got to land, I've heard reports of Night Crawlers lurking around, I want to go check it out," I pant, trying to catch my breath._

"_Sure thing, Captain," Kyriessa replies, and begins to steer The Vermillion down towards the Terra. _

_I stride over to the intercom and press the button, waiting for the static before speaking, "Everyone to the hanger, we have to go check something out." _

"_I'll stay here and guard the ship," Kyriessa says over her shoulder as I run back down the corridor to the hanger. _

_When I reach the hanger, my team is already assembled and waiting on their rides. Their heads turn to me as one and Maybella is the first to speak._

"_What going on? Is it Cyclonians?"_

"_No, Night Crawlers," I reply, as I jump onto my Skimmer._

_I spot Dante's look of disgust as I say the words and he revs his engine once, filling the hanger with the sweet, roaring sound. I can tell that we are close to landing, because my energy flares up, surrounding me in a blue and green aura, emanating out around me about a foot or so. _

"_Ready, guys?" I ask as I start my ride and guide it over to the others._

"_Yeah," they reply collectively. _

"_Good. Keep formation, stay behind me, and watch out for anything suspicious," I tell them. _

_I feel The Vermillion touch the ground, and the hanger doors open. Turning on my headlight, I lead my team out of the cruiser and begin to ride slowly down the path leading to the crystal mines. _

"_Keep it quiet, you lot, if the Night Crawlers _are _here, we don't want to alert them of our presence," I speak through my communication device. I am replied with disembodied 'yes's' and 'okays'. _

"_Why are we talking through our comms?" Dante asks._

"_Because the noise of our rides is loud enough, we don't need to be yelling to each other, Dante," I answer, rolling my eyes. _

"_Fair enough," comes Dante's disembodied voice. _

_We continue to ride along the dirt path, getting closer to the crystal mines. _

Damn Night Crawlers, they had better wish they did not screw with my Terra, _I think to myself as the path narrows considerably._

"_Alright, guys, we're going to have go single file, the path isn't wide enough," I speak quietly into the comm. _

"_Hey Phoenix, what will be better to take out the Night Crawlers with? My staff, throwing knives or my sword?" Dante asks._

_It is Maybella who replies. "Dante, shut the hell up, we're supposed to be keeping quiet. If I hear one more word out of your annoying mouth, I will sew it up," she hisses, and I hear Ranyaan and Luca chuckling through the comm. _

"_I'll do the same to you two if you don't shut up as well," I hear Maybella hiss again. _

"_Take it easy, May, you are way too serious," Ranyaan's voice crackles over the comm._

"_Maybe because this _is _serious, you damn idiot," Maybella's voice crackles back. _

"_Did someone miss her beauty sleep?" Luca teases._

"_Enough, you lot. I will not have you at each other's throats all the time, especially not now," I growl at them. _

_I am answered with disembodied apologies and then silence, except for the engines of our rides._

_We continue to ride in silence, until I spot the mouth of the crystal mines up ahead._

"_Kill your engines, we're going in undetected," I whisper. _

_Everyone cuts their engines and walks up to me. I am looking over a large boulder towards the crystal mine and spot at least ten tall figures, all dressed in black._

"_So, what's the verdict?" Luca asks in his heavy accent._

"_Definitely Night Crawlers. I can count about ten of the bastards," I reply quietly, narrowing my eyes in their direction._

"_Got a plan?" comes Ranyaan's voice from behind me. _

Shit, plan? Come on brain, think. _I stay silent for a moment before replying. "Keep to the shadows, stay quiet. We need to take them off guard so that they don't have much of a chance to fight back, and if possible, try to get them separated from each other. If we try to take them head on when they're all together, we could end up getting killed," I whisper. _

"_Should we split up?" Luca asks._

_Maybella answers. "No, we should stay together as a group, otherwise it will give those assholes the upper hand, and we don't want that," she explains. _

"_We all clear?" I ask my team._

_They nod their heads, and I gesture for them to follow me. I lead them through the trees, stalking quietly on my tiptoes in the dark, coming up on the right hand side of the crystal mine's entrance. Standing out the front on either side of the entrance are two Night Crawlers, who look like they are guarding it. I spot a third one, but his back is turned and it appears he is walking into the mine. Once he and all but two disappear from view into the tunnel, I turn to my Squadron._

"_Ranyaan and Maybella, I want you to take out the one on this side. Dante and Luca, you two take out the one on the left. I'll keep watch in case they alert any others." _

"_Okay, how should we do this?" Ranyaan asks._

"_Take that fucker out with your bow and arrows, and Maybella, you go in for close combat when it's down, got it?"_

"_And what should Dante and myself do?" Luca questions me._

"_Dante, you will use your throwing daggers, and Luca, your Short Sword. If that bastard won't go down, Dante can beat him across the head with his Staff."_

"_Phoenix, are you sure this will work?" Maybella's voice is a tad higher than usual._

"_Yes, you will do fine. If you take them at the same time, they won't have a chance to fight back together, making it easier for us," I reply encouragingly._

"_What if I screw up," Maybella whispers, and I can see her eyes wide through the dark. _

_Taking her hand, I give it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry; I'll be right there with you, I'm sure you can take that bastard down. If it gets too much, just let me know and I will take it out myself. I want to give you guys the chance of taking on an enemy on your own, see how you all handle it, okay?" _

_My team nod their heads, and I let go of Maybella's hand, smiling warmly at her. Peering over the boulder at the two Night Crawlers guarding the entrance, I can see their glowing eyes. _

"_Phoenix, I think that while we sneak up on them, we should split up, if we go at them from the front, we'll lose the element of surprise," Maybella whispers._

"_Good idea, I was just thinking that, May," I reply. "You got that Dante, Luca?" I ask, looking at each of them in turn. _

"_Yeah, loud and clear."_

"_Good. Now, don't attack until I give the signal," Pausing my sentence, I point my index finger three times, "Come from behind, I'll go and distract them. Flank me, but keep to the shadows, be the shadows, and stay absolutely silent until I give the signal." _

"_What do you mean you will distract them?" Dante asks with his eyebrow raised._

"_Well, I'll walk down the path and distract them. Now Dante and Luca, get to the other side of the path. Go now, and keep in step with me."_

"_Alright."_

"_Let's go and show these assholes who they're messing with," I whisper. _

_I watch Dante and Luca sneak to the other side of the path and hide among the trees. Turning to Ranyaan and Maybella I say, "You'll do fine, just keep in step with me."_

_I stride out into the middle of the path and begin walking towards the two Night Crawlers. As I get closer, my heart begins to race, and I have to try to keep my breathing steady. _Come on, I can do this, they are only creepy guys in black hoodies,_ I think to myself. I am now only about twenty metres away from them, and I'm nearing the end of the tree-lined path. _

Now or never,_ I think to myself and take a deep breath. _

_Stepping out from the cover of the trees, I take another tentative step forward._

"_Um, hello? Excuse me," I call out sweetly, grabbing their attention. The one on the left looks up then over to his pal on the right, shrugging. I think they exchange a few words, before the lefty strides towards me slowly._

"_Hi, there," I say, keeping my voice steady, "I was walking my dog, and she ran off, you wouldn't have seen her would you? I have been looking _everywhere_." _

_The Night Crawler regards me suspiciously before talking in a rasping voice, "You should not be here, not safe for children."_

"_I'm not a child!" I reply indignantly. _

_The Night Crawler hisses and leans in close, so I can smell him; a strange, sulphur-like scent is carried on his breath as it wafts over my face. I have to take a small step back. "Children shouldn't be here, too dangerous," he says again._

"_Please, sir, I'm sure a kind gentleman like you wouldn't refuse to help a child look for her puppy? I must find her, please," I plead, laying thick on the child thing. _

_Once again, the Night Crawler hisses and appears to flick on a communications switch. "The child needs assistance, I shall disperse her," he rasps quietly. _

_There is a reply, but I can't quite make out any words. Gazing over his shoulder, I spot the other Night Crawler who appears to be concentrating on the mine, maybe looking for something. _

"_Are you going to help me, sir?" I ask, my heart beating even faster._

"_If it will make you disappear, child, then yes," he rasps._

I am not a fucking child! _I feel like yelling, but I refrain. "Thank you, so much. My dog's name is Ai, she comes up to about my waist and she is black with white on her belly. She ran off in that direction," I point my index finger three times, signalling my team to go in for the attack. _

_An arrow flies out of the trees, hitting the Night Crawler closest to me, in the chest, sending sparks everywhere, and knocks it off its feet. A second later, out of the corner of my eye, I spot five throwing daggers flying through the air at the second Night Crawler, each one landing perfectly in both arms, legs and top of his hood, pinning him to the rocky wall. After that, I spot Maybella running towards the first Night Crawler, who is pushing himself up off the ground. I hear the sound of Maybella's foot making impact with the Night Crawler's chest, knocking it back down, as I turn my head and see Luca charging towards the second Night Crawler, sword swinging through the air, and stopping just short of the Night Crawlers throat. Ranyaan emerges from the trees, with his bow and arrow drawn, carefully approaching the grounded figure. _

_Dante is last to emerge, coming to stand at my side._

"_What now?" he asks._

"_We lure them out, I'm certain we can take them all on; they don't appear to be very strong for some reason," I reply._

_Stepping forward, I reach down and flick the Night Crawler's comm. "Attention, Night Crawlers, this is Phoenix, Sky Knight of the Sky Green Breezes. We have apprehended two of you, so get the fuck out of our mines and off our Terra," I speak forcefully into the comm. _

_I am greeted with multiple disembodied hisses and rasps of undeterminable words. _

"_Get ready, team, I think we've pissed them off," I state, removing my jacket, letting it drop to the ground before grasping my blades and removing them from my back, taking up a defensive battle stance. _

_I glance over to where Luca is still holding his sword to the Night Crawler's throat, eyeing him with distaste, before striking him with the hilt of his sword, knocking it out cold. Luca strides over to join the rest us, and takes up an offensive battle stance next to Dante, who has his Energy staff at the ready. _

"_Did I do good, Phoenix?" Maybella asks, glancing at me expectantly._

_I smile and reply, "You were great, May. Keep focus, there might be more than what I thought, but if we are lucky, there will only be seven left. If so, it will be a piece of cake."_

"_Here they come," Luca's heavy accent drifts to my ears._

"_Get ready, team, they will be." _

_The Night Crawler on the ground moans and makes to get up and reaches his knees. Not hesitating, I kick out and my foot connects with his jaw. I hear the crack of breaking bone and a strangled yell as he collapses in pain, appearing to be knocked out. _

"_You are one brutal lady, Phoenix," Dante says appreciatively and blows a breath out through his teeth._

"_I'm just protective, is all," I reply._

_I grip my blades tightly as the Night Crawlers begin to emerge from the mines, some of them carrying crates of crystals. My teeth clench at the sight of them, and I grip my blades tighter. _

"_Good evening, gentlemen. May I enquire as to why you are raiding my Terra's crystal supply?" I say sweetly, activating my blades. The energy crackles to life, light blue pulsating around my blades. _

_The Night Crawlers say nothing, they just make raspy hissing sounds._

"_Alright, not much of a talkative bunch, then," I mutter. "Let's get them," I say to my team._

_We all charge ahead, with flashes of energy everywhere, I stay close to Maybella and we go in for close combat. Maybella grabs the closest Night Crawler by the arm and twists around behind him. I hear the breaking of his bone and he falls to the ground, clutching his arm and gasping in pain. Seeing Maybella's shocked expression, I urge her on, while swiping my blades at another Night Crawler advancing on me. _

_The air is alive with sounds of energy blasts, breaking bones and pained grunts and groans. Spinning around, I bring the hilt of my right energy blade down upon a Night Crawlers shoulder, making him drop to his knees, before stepping on either side of his ankle and twisting sharply, snapping the bone. He screams in pain and collapses, clutching his broken leg to his chest. Behind me, I hear a raspy hiss, and turn around just in time to see another Night Crawler drop to the ground unconscious, revealing Dante standing behind him with his staff under his arm and his hand out in front of him._

"_Thanks," I pant, then shoot a blast of energy over his shoulder, right into the face of a Night Crawler behind him, knocking it unconscious._

"_Thanks," Dante says back, smiling. _

"_How's Luca holding up?" I ask. _

_Dante shrugs and points behind me in Luca's direction. Turning around, I see Luca with his energy sword standing triumphantly down at three unconscious Night Crawlers. _

"_Ranyaan?" I ask._

"_Sprained ankle, I took him to hide in the trees, just out of view. What about Maybella?"_

"_She did great, but do you mind helping her with the last one, she looks a bit exhausted," I say as I spot her trying to fight off the remaining Night Crawler._

"_Alright, let's go."_

_Dante and I half run over to Maybella, pushing her behind us and taking up our battle stances._

"_There is only one of you now, so would you like to make it easy on yourself and get the hell off of our Terra and take your useless buddies with you?" I ask threateningly. _

"_Silly child, we will return in greater numbers and take you all down," he rasps menacingly._

_I do not flinch, I do not move at all. Channelling my Energy Casting powers, I am almost immediately surrounded by a bright red and orange aura. Just to add to the intimidation factor, I levitate about a foot off the ground and say in as forceful voice as I can, "You leave my Terra and its people, never return here. If you do, I will take you down without a second thought." _

_The Night Crawler recoils slightly, shielding his eyes with his hand._

"_Take your injured now and go," I command._

_On a last line of strength, I concentrate my aura into a yellow sun light colour and blast it in waves around me. Every Night Crawler instantly takes off, disappearing into the night sky, with broken limbs dangling at odd angles. _

_Feeling light-headed, I let my energy die down and drop to the ground, losing my balance. Dante catches me before I fall over completely and sets me on my feet. Looking around at my squadron, there is a collective look of awe on their scratched, dirty faces. _

"_That was intense, P.C," Dante states appreciatively. _

"_Yeah. Let's get back to The Vermillion, I need to rest," I reply with a deep sigh. _

_We walk back through the trees to our skimmers and ride back to our cruiser. _

_Walking through the doors to the helm, Kyriessa turns around to greet us._

"_How did you's go? Christ, Ranyaan, you look like shit," she exclaims. _

"_I try my best," he winks at her._

"_I don't think those bastards will be bothering us ever again, Phoenix scared the shit out of them with her night light powers," Dante teases. _

"_And you don't have to be afraid of the dark because of my night light powers, idiot," I roll my eyes at him._

"_Oi, I'm not scared of the dark…anymore," he mutters, narrowing his eyes at me. _

"_Ranyaan, how's your ankle, can you walk on it?" I ask and look over to where Luca is helping him stand. _

"_Yeah, I'm tough as nails, Phoenix," Ranyaan replies and attempts to stand on his injured foot, wincing in pain._

"_Let's get you bandaged up, you big toughie," I roll my eyes at him. _

"_I'll do it!" Kyriessa yells, a little over enthusiastically. _

"_Okay, thank Kyriessa."_

_Luca sets Ranyaan down on a chair and Kyriessa runs off to get the med kit. Maybella comes to stand beside me, wiping blood from her lip. I turn to face her._

"_You did extraordinary out there, May. You handled them so well. Congratulations on your first ever battle," I praise her._

"_What about me?" Dante interjects with mock indignation._

"_You did well idiot," I smile up at him. He returns my smile and drapes an arm around my shoulder and I lean into him sleepily. _

"_I'm so proud of you all, maybe those Night Crawlers might tell Cyclonis not to mess with this Terra," I say happily. _

_My ears are met with the boys whooping and cheering and Maybella jumps on the spot and clasps her hands together with a massive smile on her face._

"_Keep it down you lot, I'm going to bed. Good night," I say and step away from Dante._

"_Night Phoenix," they all call as I head out of the helm and down the corridor to my sleeping quarters._

* * *

"Hey, Atmos to Phoenix, are you there?" Aerrow's voice breaks through my thoughts, bringing my mind back to the now.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, I kind of zoned out," I murmur vaguely.

"I noticed," Aerrow replies, raising his eyebrows speculatively. "What were you thinking about?" he asks.

"The first battle I fought with my Squadron. Night Crawlers. My team was so brave, they didn't back down once. You remember Maybella?"

"The pretty one with the short platinum blond hair and lilac eyes, right?"

"Yeah her. Did I ever tell you about how she broke a Night Crawler's arm? She was such a great fighter," I reminisce.

"I can't imagine that, she always seemed kind of timid."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I chose her to be in my Squadron, to make her come out of her shell a bit. It worked. She was such a lovely girl."

Aerrow nods his head and turns his attention to my ride.

"Junko did a great job here, didn't he?"

"Yes he did." I smile over at Junko and he shrugs modestly.

I smile at the memories of that first battle and run my hand along my ride, my fingers lingering over the inscription on the crystal fuel tank.

I hear the Condor's engines cut off.

"Are we there?" I ask.

"Yep, Junko and I will run recon and let you's know if it checks out all clear," Aerrow replies. "Come on, Junko, let's go."

"Alright, right behind you."

The boys jump on their rides and wait for Stork to open the doors. Radaar appears practically out of nowhere and jumps up into the co-pilot's seat on Aerrow's skimmer. When the doors open, they zoom off, leaving me standing in a cloud of tyre smoke.

"Smooth," I mumble to myself and take a seat on skimmer.

Piper and Finn walk into the hanger and over to me.

"What's up, you two?" I ask, looking up at them.

"Well, I'm trying to stop Finn from disappearing before Aerrow and Junko finish recon," Piper says with a sigh.

Finn just rolls his eyes at her, walks over to his ride, and straddles it.

"Not long now guys, I'll just be a memory for a while," I say quietly.

Piper puts her hand on my shoulder and smiles warmly at me. "You'll do fine," she says encouragingly.

"Thanks Piper." I smile at her and she strides over to sit on her heliscooter, keeping a close eye on Finn.

I am going to miss these guys…so much.

* * *

**I hope you are looking forward to the next chapter! P.S. Review :)**


	22. Typical Ruskiis

**New Chapter! YAY! The longest one I've done so far, I hope you like it! **

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two

_Sky Journal, three days before my mission._

_The last week has been pleasant, just relaxing with the team. The boys are having a blast with sky surfing and Piper and myself have been trying to catch some sun, although it was not a good idea, seeing as now I am burnt to nearly a crisp. Unlike Piper, I just cannot get a tan. I think I am finally able to let go of the bad things and just enjoy the little things for a while, maybe, we will see. I am growing more anxious with each passing day. I am counting the seconds til my departure from the Storm Hawks. Goodbyes will not be easy, but are they meant to be? I will miss the faces of my friends, who have over time, become my family. I just hope I do not fail. I look forward to the day when I am watching burgundy haired, green-eyed children laughing and playing. Let's just hope it doesn't take long to destroy Cyclonia._

_Signing off for now, Phoenix. _

I slip my journal into my bag and relax under the shade of a tree, returning to watch Finn throw Piper into the water. Junko has a fire started and is cooking something for dinner, and Aerrow is somewhere along the beach, trying to convince Stork to join him for a swim. Radaar is curled up beside me as I lazily scratch him behind the ear. With my free hand, I begin to draw patterns in the sand next to me, occasionally glancing up at the odd squeal from Piper. The wind blows in my direction and I catch a whiff of whatever it is that Junko is cooking. I don't know what it is, but it smells edible, and my stomach growls, making Radaar gaze at it suspiciously, before relaxing when he realizes where the sound had come from. In the distance, I can spot Aerrow walking back along the beach, with Stork in tow, and it looks like he is pleading with him, while Stork flaps his arms exasperatedly. I laugh to myself quietly and lean back against the trunk of the tree, stretching my arms above my head, and then placing them behind it. As Stork and Aerrow approach, Aerrow walks over and flops down in the sand beside me, while Stork sulks off back into the Condor.

"What's his problem?" I ask.

"He's just being Stork. He hates the beach more than you do," Aerrow replies, chuckling quietly to himself.

Scooting closer to Aerrow, he wraps an arm around me and I lean my head into his chest, watching Finn and Piper frolicking happily in the water.

"That will be us one day," Aerrow murmurs quietly into my hair and kisses my temple.

"I hope so," I sigh in reply. "We shouldn't be getting closer to each other, Aerrow. I don't want to hurt you."

"You say that, but you don't stop it from happening," he states matter-of-factly.

"That's quite true. When I come back from Cyclonia, if I'm allowed back by the high council, I think I will retire and just live a normal life."

Aerrow inhales deeply, and tightens his arm around me. "I like that idea, I'll be able to keep you out of trouble that way," he says and I can detect the smile in his words.

"Maybe," I reply, laughing a little.

"This could take years. Promise that you won't forget about me," Aerrow whispers.

"How could I ever forget you?" I ask, raising my head to look at his face.

Shrugging, he gazes into my eyes and smiles warmly. "Just don't, okay?"

A small laugh escapes my lips and I reply with, "sure thing, Aerrow."

Just as the sun kisses the horizon, Junko calls out to everybody to let us know that dinner is ready. Standing up, Aerrow pulls me to my feet and Radaar follows us over to where Junko is standing in his apron and chef's hat. Piper and Finn come splashing out of the water to join us and we go to sit down at the picnic table, waiting for Junko to serve up our plates.

"Smells great Junko," Piper calls over to him.

* * *

"Are you sure that we won't wake the others?" I ask in a raised whisper, as Aerrow leads me through the dark corridors of The Condor.

"Yeah, just keep quiet until we're outside," he replies.

Straining my eyes to see in the dark, I can make out the slightest of objects, doorways, and obstacles. I continue to follow Aerrow all the way, until we reach outside, stepping into the soft sand of the beach. The air is fresh and cool, and a myriad of scents is carried on the soft breeze that blows gently around us. I close my eyes and tilt my head back, parting my lips slightly as the breeze washes over me, through me, filling me with calm.

"Come on, this way." Aerrow takes hold of my hand and I follow him along the beach, the sand soft as velvet under my feet, the small waves breaking the silence as they themselves break. I have never liked the beach, but this…This is beautiful. Too long, it has been, since I have felt this wonderfully relaxed.

Finally, Aerrow ceases walking, coming to a stop at the base of what appears to be a cliff. I look up; it is massive, I can barely see the top of it, it looks as if it disappears into the night sky.

"This way." Aerrow gestures for me to follow him, and he begins to walk towards the water.

"No way, I'm not going in the water," I say, planting my feet firmly into the sand.

Aerrow chuckles quietly and shakes his head. "I'm not taking you into the water, the only way to get where I am taking you is around this face of the mountain," he explains.

I shrug and follow him to the water's edge and watch carefully as he hoists himself up onto a small ledge before reaching down and helping me up after him.

"Are you sure this is safe?" I ask, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Would I ever put you in any kind of danger?" I replies, and smiles a lopsided smile before sidling along the cliff face.

A small chuckle escapes my lips and I begin to follow after him, being careful of where I place my hands. Luckily, the moon is full, so it makes it easier to see what I am doing. The water laps at my feet softly, making almost silent splashing sounds as it rolls against to the rock. After about fifteen meters of sidling the cliff face, Aerrow jumps down onto a large flat rock, just above the surface of the water. He reaches his hand out to me and I take it, jumping gracefully beside him. I look around and spot more rocks, appearing to make some kind of path to the beach.

"Be careful here, the rocks can get slippery," Aerrow says before jumping to the next rock.

Nodding my head, I follow his movements, exactly. Soon, we are back on the beach after bounding across the rock path.

"You are going to love this, Phoenix," Aerrow states, his eyes alight with anticipation.

I smile at him in reply and taking me off guard, Aerrow places his hands over my eyes. "Why does everyone like to cover my eyes so much?" I sigh.

"Because surprising you is fun," Aerrow whispers in my ear, "Just walk straight and turn when I tell you, okay?"

"Alright," I reply.

I begin walking forward, being careful not to trip over. I turn when Aerrow prompts and continue walking. I have no idea where I am stepping, and being barefoot makes it worse; I am scared of stepping on something sharp and cutting my foot. Finally, Aerrow tells me to stop walking. I no longer feel sand under my feet, but cool, smooth stone.

"Keep your eyes closed, just a little longer," he says quietly. He takes hold of my hand and leads me a little further and my ears pick up the sound of splashing water. "You can open your eyes now," he says, his voice soft.

Upon opening my eyes, I am met with the most spectacular view. My mouth is hanging open in pure awe. We are standing on a ledge facing a waterfall; a massive waterfall, appearing to come from nowhere.

"Aerrow, are we?" I breathe, not finishing my sentence.

"Inside the mountain? Yeah we are, that waterfall comes from an underground river, and falls down there." Aerrow points and I see the clearest water below us. I gasp audibly at the sheer height of which we are standing.

"This…This is…Beautiful isn't a good enough word to describe this," I whisper, an unnamed emotion crashing through me from just looking, staring at this amazing sight.

Looking around, I see a large hole in the far wall, like a window. Through it, I can see the full moon shining brightly, casting beams across the water at the bottom. Strange crystals poke out of crevices here and there, giving the cavern an extra magical touch. Thick green vines hang lazily at odd intervals from the walls and roof, giving it a kind of jungle effect. I peer over the ledge once again, and am instantly covered in goose bumps. The mist from the waterfall rises up like white viscous smoke, hiding where the water is making impact with the crystal clear pool at the bottom. I turn my gaze to Aerrow, who is watching me intently.

"How did you even find this place?" I ask in a breathless whisper.

"My father brought me and mum here two weeks before they were murdered. I never forgot this place, it was the last memory I had with them," Aerrow replies, his eyes holding a ghost of a memory.

My heart aches for him, and I reach out, pulling him to me. "Thank you for bringing me here," I say into his chest.

"Have you ever been cliff diving?" Aerrow asks after a long silence.

"Um, no…why?" I ask, stepping away from him and raising my eyebrows.

Flashing me a cheeky grin, he proceeds to remove his shirt and jeans, standing in front of me with only his boxer briefs on. "Well, there's a first for everything," he says.

"No way. It's way too high, we could kill ourselves," I reply, nervously.

"It will be fun, I promise. Don't be scared, it's completely safe," Aerrow encourages.

Biting my lip, I suck in a deep breath and mutter, "I must be insane," before pulling my shirt off over my head and dropping my jeans until I am standing in just my bra and underwear.

"That's the spirit," Aerrow grins brightly at me.

I roll my eyes at him and take a step closer, taking hold of his proffered hand.

"You sure about this? What if there are rocks at the bottom?"

"There isn't, you big scaredy cat. Come on, I was doing this when I was four," Aerrow boasts.

"Okay," I mutter.

My heart is racing with both fear and excitement, and my breathing is quickening by the second as Aerrow leads me to the very edge. I take a deep breath and glance sideways at Aerrow, his eyes mischievously alight.

"On the count of three, then?" he asks, laughing under his breath at me.

"Yeah," I reply, barely able to talk through my nerves.

Aerrow squeezes my hand tightly and begins the count, "One."

_Please don't let me die_, I think to myself as I gaze at the water below.

"Two."

_Maybe I can back out, that's sensible. It wouldn't make me a coward, would it?_

"Three!"

We jump simultaneously, hanging in the air for a millisecond, before plummeting to the water below. My hair whips about my face, and the air passing my ears is roaring loudly. The sound of the waterfall is getting louder. A half-scared, half-excited squeal escapes my lungs, and I clutch Aerrow's hand tighter. And then _splash! _We hit the water and go under. I have to let go of Aerrow's hand to swim to the surface. Breaking through the water, I take in a huge lung full of air, spluttering and laughing, treading water, looking for Aerrow. His head pops up above the water's surface, his hair clinging to his face.

"I can't believe I just did that," I exclaim, my heart still beating fast from the adrenaline.

"Awesome isn't it?"

"Yes. That was fantastic. We have to come back here one day, Aerrow," I say breathlessly.

Aerrow smiles widely and swims over to me. "There's something else I want to show you. Follow me."

Aerrow begins to swim towards the waterfall, and I follow. When I catch up, he swims right through the wall of water and I lose sight of him. Not hesitating, I pursue him and am struck dumb at another marvellous sight when I emerge through the water.

Behind the wall of water, there is another cavern, relatively small, but with crystals of all different colours poking out of everywhere, and a few more vines hanging about.

"Watch this," Aerrow says and walks over to one of the lower hanging vines and shakes it.

Hundreds of small lights appear, flying everywhere. "Fireflies?"

"Yeah, gorgeous, aren't they?"

"Absolutely," I reply, my voice reduced to a whisper.

He strides over to me and wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. "I'll bring you back here one day. We can spend as much time as you want here, seeing as you will be retired," he murmurs next to my ear.

A lump rises in my throat and tears burn my eyes, beginning to fall freely. I tiny gasp escapes my mouth, making Aerrow glance at me.

"Hey, why are crying?" he asks gently.

"Sorry," I mumble quietly. "This is just so beautiful. I have never seen anything like it, I just…" my voice fades, replaced with a small shuddering breath.

I laugh at myself and shake my head, wiping the tears from my face.

"It's a pretty powerful place, pretty much untouched by humans. The energies here are strong, they like you," Aerrow says, gazing at me.

I am confused for a moment about what Aerrow has said; the energies like me? I then realize that I am surrounded by a sky-blue aura.

"Wow," I mouth.

"Yeah." Aerrow smiles warmly at me.

I begin walking to the far end of the cavern, walking around a stalactite and stopping at a small pool of water in the ground, nearly a perfect circle, the size of a hula-hoop. The water is perfectly still, and I can see my reflection; wet hair plastered to my face, but my eyes are bright and my cheeks hold some colour again. Then I do something that I have not done in years; I smile at my reflection, a true, happy smile.

I hear Aerrow's feet padding towards me and soon his reflection joins mine in the water mirror.

"You look beautiful when you smile," he whispers softly, gazing into the eyes of my reflection.

I stare back, my mouth going dry as Aerrow's tongue skims over his lower lip. Turning away from the small pool, I gaze at Aerrow, and suck in a breath through clenched teeth. My aura casts an eerie glow around the small cavern and highlights the water droplets running down Aerrow's muscular abdomen. His eyes shine bright under the light and his wet hair glistens. My eyes survey his body; his skin pale, the barely visible stubble on his chin and upper lip giving the effect of a shadow across his face. With each breath he takes, his abdominal muscles ripple slightly, and his shoulders move up and down with easy grace.

I am not aware that I have been holding my breath, until I feel a tight burning sensation in my lungs. Exhaling, my eyes travel up Aerrow's body and I rest my gaze on his face, feeling light-headed. I close my eyes for a second, and a strange sensation grips me, making every cell of my being tingle. My eyes flutter under my eyelids and my breathing becomes laboured. The light-headed feeling increases, and I sink to the ground, my knees landing on the hard stone, but I feel no pain. I try to open my eyes, but I cannot. I feel as if I have lost control of my body, as if my conscious is being replaced by someone else's. My reality is blurred and I feel myself thrown into a void.

I am not breathing. I do not need to breathe for some reason.

_What is this?_ I think to myself, and my thoughts sound like they have been voiced. That is definitely my voice, but it is mixed with someone else's.

I cannot speak, I can only think, and for some reason, it does not bother me. For some reason, I am not scared, when I probably should be.

_Aerrow, can you hear me?_ I think, and the words are spoken in my voice and one other's.

"Phoenix, what's going on?" Aerrow's voice is distant, very distant.

And then, the voice that is mingled with my own talks. "Don't worry, Phoenix, I'll leave your body soon," it says through my voice.

"What's happening?" I hear Aerrow's distant voice, floating to me through the void.

_I do not know. Where am I? _I hear my words spoken again, from both my voice and the other.

"You're kneeling on the ground, you haven't gone anywhere…your body hasn't gone anywhere," Aerrow's distant reply reaches me.

"If you both just stop freaking out, I will tell you what's going on," comes the intruder, stealing my voice but using his own.

_Who are you? What do you want? _I ask it.

"It's me, stupid. Can't you remember the sound of my voice?" It replies, sounding slightly indignant.

_It cannot be._ I hear the words spoken.

"Corvus taught me this neat trick, but I don't know how much longer I can possess you for, Phoenix. I just wanted to tell Aerrow something," the intruder speaks.

_Dante, you asshole. Get out of my body!_ I mentally shout.

I hear Aerrow's confused words. "Dante? You're possessing Phoenix?"

"Yeah. Now look. Aerrow, buddy, you take good care of my girl, alright?"

_Your girl? _

"Shut up, Phoenix, I don't have long."

If I could narrow my eyes at him right now, I would.

"Aerrow. Besides Phoenix, you were my best mate, and probably greatest rival, when it involved Phoenix, but I want you to know that no matter what happens you need to be there for her. She will need your support like she never has before, you got it?"

"Um, yeah…I got it." I can picture Aerrow scratching his head in confusion, and I feel like doing the same.

"That doesn't mean stopping her from going to Cyclonia. That cannot be changed. Nothing can be changed. Everything that happens in both of your lives is a fixed point in time now. I can't tell you what I have seen, and I can't say that I like it at all. I know you won't, Aerrow. And Phoenix, you probably won't like it either. I'm not sure of that one though."

What is so important that you can't just tell us? If it's a fixed point in time, then it can't be changed no matter what I do, right?"

"Sorry, it doesn't work like that. If I tell you what will happen in your future, I bet you will go as far as killing yourself to prevent it, and I'm not going to be responsible for that."

_Is it really that bad? _My words sound shocked.

"Probably not, but just do what you have to do, alright, Phoenix? And Aerrow, buddy, I'm happy for you. This Girl is a keeper."

_I'm not a girl, I am a woman, you idiot. _My words come out sounding indignant.

I hear my voice laughing, then speaking, "Well, time's up, gotta go. Take care of yourselves you two."

And with that, I feel myself being pulled through the void, a strong tugging sensation from my belly, like an umbilical cord, pulling me back into my body. I feel it, my physical body, heavy like I've never felt before. Dragging in a deep breath of air, I clutch my sides, and pant, my eyes blinking wide open. I look up to see Aerrow kneeling in front of me, his lips parted slightly.

"What was that?" he whispers.

"Um…me being possessed by Dante, I guess," I reply, trying to control my breathing.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. That was weird," I mumble, and stand up, rubbing my knees.

"Should we speculate, or swim?" Aerrow asks, a half smile touching his lips.

"I vote swim. There's plenty of time to speculate later," I reply, smiling back, and running through the waterfall, diving into the water, Aerrow following.

As much as I am enjoying myself, I can help my mind wandering to Dante's cryptic words. What could possibly happen that would make me want to kill myself? Shaking my head to rid the thought from my head, I playfully splash Aerrow and duck under the water quickly, before he can retaliate. No use wondering, whatever happens from here on out happens for a reason. Breaking the surface for air, Aerrow catches me off guard, splashing my face. I squeal in surprise and laugh, treading water, trying to stay afloat. Aerrow paddles over to me, wrapping an arm around my waist, pulling me against him, sinking us. I have enough time to take a breath before going under. Opening my eyes, I am surprised that I can actually see Aerrow in front of me, even fully submerged, although distorted slightly. Flashing me a wicked grin, he plants his mouth on mine. The sensation is alien; being submerged, not able to breathe, but I kiss him back, fisting my hands in his hair. He holds me tighter to him, and kicks up until we re-emerge above the water, both of us gasping for air. I smile against his lips and kiss him again before breaking away, once again treading water.

Aerrow flicks his hair, sending water droplets everywhere, and I begin to swim to a nearby ledge, resting my arms on it to keep me afloat. Popping up beside me, Aerrow shakes his hair in my direction, showering my face with water. Laughing, I push his head away and he splashes me again.

"This is the most fun I've had in ages, Aerrow. Thank you," I say, smiling.

Aerrow returns my smile, and edges closer to me, running his hand down my cheek, my neck, my arm, stopping at my hand and grasping it, intertwining our fingers. A warm shiver runs through my body, heating me all over, making my heart race, and desire pool deep in my belly. Not thinking, I push myself forward, claiming Aerrow's lips and wrapping myself around him. Inhaling deeply through his nose, Aerrow wraps an arm tightly around my waist, and holding the ledge with his spare hand for support, flexes his hips towards me. I moan quietly against his lips, and run my hand down his body, to the top of his boxer briefs, hooking my thumb and yanking them off. Aerrow reciprocates, tearing my underwear from my body and placing the damaged fabric on the ledge, before flexing his hips forward and into me, slowly. A hiss escapes from my between my clenched teeth and shivers run up and down my spine. He moves us around, so that both of his hands are holding the ledge, and my back is pressed against the rocky wall. I close my eyes, and my head lolls to the left as Aerrow places his lips on my neck, trailing kisses from my shoulder and back again. I grasp his head between my hands and pull his to me, kissing him fiercely as we begin to move about each other, slowly at first and gradually picking up the pace. A soft moan bubbles up, escapes my lips as his hand moves from the ledge, and runs over my body. Inhaling sharply through his nose, he places his hand back on the ledge, and moves his hips in a circular motion, once, twice, three times, and I begin to feel it; that sensation of my impending climax, creeping closer and closer with each thrust of our hips. Aerrow feels it and quickens the pace, urging me forward, and closer to that carnal release. I feel as if I am going to explode, every cell of my being is on fire, sweet, pleasurable fire. When I cannot hold on any longer, I throw my head back and a primal cry rips through my lungs, echoing around the cavern. My aura flashes, I don't see it, but feel it. In the intensity of my climax, I don't even notice Aerrow reach his. My mind is blurry and reality slips away for a moment, while I savour this unreal sensation taking over me completely, feeling my muscles clench around Aerrow.

Finally, my body relaxes, and my arms drop from Aerrow's hair, to rest on his shoulders. I hug him tight to me, burying my face in the crook of his neck, recovering. Our hearts are beating rapidly and our breathing is still erratic, so we stay put, Aerrow holding the ledge for support, and me holding Aerrow for support.

Once I have my breathing under control, I pull away slightly, to gaze at him; wet burgundy hair a mess, sated crimson eyes…

_What?_ I blink rapidly and pull my head away quickly, a wave of goose-bumps hits me and my eyes grow wide.

"What is it?" Aerrow asks.

"N-nothing, I just thought I saw…never mind, just the light playing tricks with my eyes," I manage to breathe. I look back into his eyes; completely normal. Green. I take a deep breath and force a smile onto my lips. "That was amazing," I whisper.

Aerrow smiles in reply and plants a soft kiss on my forehead before pushing away and around me, so he can hoist himself up onto the ledge and pulls me up after him.

"You're probably wondering how we get out of here now, right?" he asks.

I hadn't given that a thought, but come to think about it, I see no possible way to get back to the top. "Yeah, exactly how are we going to get back up to the top?" I ask, and raise my eyebrows at him.

"This way, there is carved out steps that lead back up. Follow me."

When we reach the top, we get dressed and sit down, our feet hanging over the edge, dangling precariously.

"I've had a wonderful time Aerrow. This place is magical," I say, and rest my head on his shoulder.

"I knew you'd love it," he replies, and I detect something in his tone that doesn't sound quite right.

"I don't like the beach, but you can bring me here anytime," I whisper.

Aerrow sighs and I lift my head, gazing at him as he looks out to the other side of the cavern, towards the window-like hole. He shifts uncomfortably, and sighs again.

"Aerrow, what's the matter?" I ask gently.

"I just…Worry about you, is all. I mean, going to Cyclonia all on your own. Do you have a death wish?" he replies quietly.

"Don't do this now. We have had the same talk countless times. I will be fine," I say reassuringly.

"That's not necessarily what I'm thinking about at the moment, Phoenix."

"Then what is it?"

"Earlier today, well technically yesterday, when you said something about retiring and living a normal life, it got me thinking about what a normal life would be and I know what I want to be a normal life for me."

"Go on," I say, wondering what the hell he is on about.

Aerrow blows a deep breath through his teeth and sighs for a third time before speaking. "When you get back from Cyclonia, when you come home to me, will you be coming _home_ to _me?" _he asks, glancing at me for a second before looking away again.

"What do you mean?"

"What I'm trying to say is," he swallows hard and runs his hand through his hair before continuing, "When you come back, will you marry me?"

_What?! _ My breath catches in my throat, and I choke a little. _Marriage? Nu-uh, no way. No, no, no! _I have lost ability to talk, my eyes are wide, and I can hear the blood pounding in my ears…or is it the waterfall? Whatever, something is pounding in my ears, and Aerrow is watching me with an impassive stare.

"Well?" he asks, his expression faltering slightly.

Finally, I regain the ability to talk. "Aerrow, that's…um, that is such a big thing to ask. First of all, I would need some time to think about it, second I'm leaving in two days, and third I don't even know for sure if I will make it back," I splutter.

His face falls, only slightly, and a small smile creeps onto his lips, "I thought you would say something like that. So I will just keep asking until you say yes."

I shake my head and laugh quietly, "The old 'persistence pays off' routine then?"

"Yep."

"Game on, Captain."

"Game won," he replies, winking.

Shaking my head once more, I push myself up and stretch. "Shall we head back? It's quite late."

Aerrow stands up and taking my hand leads me out of the mountain, down to the beach.

We jump back across the stone path, and sidle back along the cliff face. We walk back through the soft sand, all the way back to the Condor.

Walking through the dark corridors once again, we come to a stop at my bedroom door.

"Tonight has been beyond words. Thank you," I say quietly and stand on my tiptoes to kiss Aerrow's cheek.

"Would you like me to come in?" he asks.

"I still have to gather my belongings up, and finish packing. I think it best if I stay alone tonight," I whisper, casting my eyes down towards my feet.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning."

"See you in the morning."

"Oh, one more thing," he whispers.

"What's that?"

"Marry me."

He disappears down the hall before I can think of a smartass comment to throw back at him. I open my bedroom door and step through, closing it quietly when I am inside and lean against the wall.

"No," I whisper, and flop down on my bed, covering my eyes with my arm.

I reach over and activate my illumination crystal, and check the time. Quarter to one in the morning. Sighing deeply, I sit up and rub my forehead with my left hand. Seeing as I cannot sleep, I may as well finishing gathering up the rest of my shit.

I stand up and yank my wardrobe door open, pulling out clothes and stuffing them carelessly into a duffle bag. Once my wardrobe is stripped of all my clothing, the realization hits me that I may never see these people again. Hanging my head down, I sink to my knees, and scrunch my eyes tightly shut, letting out a deep shuddering breath. The only way I am going to be strong enough to leave is if I go now. No crying, no goodbyes, just bailing while the team is oblivious. I could already be close to Cyclonian airspace by the time they wake up if I go now.

"I have to do this," I mutter to myself and run both my hands through my still wet hair.

I zip up my duffle bag, the sound piercing my ears harshly, making me cringe slightly. I push myself up off the floor and take a seat at my desk, opening the drawer and pull out my notepad and a pen. Sighing heavily, I begin to write.

_Aerrow, the time I have spent with you over the last nine months has been great. The time I spent with you last night was above all, the best night I have had. I am sorry for doing this, but I have had enough heartbreak to last many lifetimes, I cannot stand one more goodbye, let alone six. I can only hope that you will forgive me, and try to see this from my point of view. I do not know when we will see each other again; it might be soon or not at all. I love you, have a good life, and tell the others goodbye for me. By the time you read this, I will be long gone. Please do not come after me._

I stop writing for a moment, to dash away the threatening tears and then continue.

_By the time the sun kisses the sky, I will be nothing but a memory, so I hope that it is a good one. Don't be too upset over my absence, it will do you no good to worry. I can't think of anything else to say to you, except goodbye._

_P.S: Maybe. _

I gaze at the note I have written for a long moment, a few tears falling onto the paper and smudging the ink. Tearing the page from the notepad, I fold it in half and leave it on my desk for a moment, to pull out some fresh clothes to change into. Checking that I have everything I need, I slip the note into my pocket, and with my duffle bag in hand, take one last look around the room that I have called home for many months, and walk out, closing the door as quietly as possible.

I creep down the corridor to Aerrow's room. Turning the doorknob slowly, I open it a crack to see if he is sleeping. Taking a tentative step in, I can hear him breathing deep, completely out of it. I tiptoe over to his bed and place the note on his bedside table, and gaze at his sleeping form for a moment. Bending down, I kiss his temple softly and retreat back down the hall, before I lose my nerve.

Being as stealthy as I can manage, I sneak down to the hanger, and make my way over to my ride. Carefully, I guide it over to the hanger doors, and press the manual open button. They creak open, ever so slowly, seeming to groan in disapproval at me. Once they are open completely, I wheel my ride outside, pressing the button again for the hanger doors to close. Lifting back the seat, I stuff my duffle bag in the small compartment, and pull out the velocity crystal I forgot was in there.

"Suppose you will come in handy after all," I murmur quietly, turning the crystal around in my hand.

Throwing my leg over my ride and sitting, I take one last look at The Condor before putting the key in the ignition, turning it and zooming off into the darkness of the midnight sky. Wanting to get as far away from here as possible, I put the velocity crystal in the opening of my fuel tank and almost instantly, I am flying at twice my skimmer's top speed.

* * *

The sun is beginning to rise and my body is beyond exhausted, flying all night has taken its toll on me. Glancing at my instrument panel, it tells me the closest terra is half an hour away. Sighing, I push on, determined to reach my destination. Feeling the tiredness grip me, I scold myself for not stopping at any of the previous Terras for the rest of the night.

I can only hope that this next terra has somewhere for me to sleep.

Surprisingly, the time flies by, as if on the wind, and the terra comes into view. Slowing my speed, I guide my skimmer down and land, rolling along until I come to a stop.

"Terra Ruskii," I mumble, sighing. Of all the Terras I could have stopped in at, it just has to be this one. I remember Luca talking about visit family here often, said he had an older cousin.

Looking around, I spot the shitty little pub down the road and a shady inn. I ride slowly towards the inn, a part of me hoping that they don't have any available rooms.

Parking my ride, I get my duffle bag and walk through the grimy doors of the inn. As I step through, a little bell makes a tinny ringing sound, alerting the clerk behind the desk. He looks up from whatever he is reading and gazes impassively at me with dark grey-blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" he asks in a deep voice, his accent thick.

"Yes, you wouldn't have any rooms available, would you?"

Not answering my question, he strokes the stubble on his chin and his eyes flicker up and down my body a few times. "And what is pretty woman like you, doing in place like this?" he asks in is deep, thick accented voice.

Sighing, I reply, "Just stopping over for a day or so. Do you have any rooms available?"

"You have name?" he asks, raising his eyebrows slightly.

"Phoenix," I reply impatiently.

Regarding me intently for a moment, a thoughtful expression crosses his face. "Phoenix. Powerful name. Powerful girl."

Trying to keep my temper in check, I take a deep breath and say, "Look, do you have a room for me or not?"

Leaning forward, he places his elbows on the desk, resting his chin on his fingertips. "Quick to fire up. You would make good Ruskii," he smiles.

I think he is enjoying pissing me off, and I run my left hand down my face in an exasperated gesture, making his smile grow wider. Yep, he's definitely enjoying pissing me off.

"You join me for drink?" he asks in a hopeful voice.

"Listen, I'm sure you're a great guy, but I have been flying all night, and I need to sleep. Is there a room available or not?"

Knowing that he has been defeated, he flicks his light brown hair away from his face with his right hand and smiles. "Sorry, no rooms here."

"Fantastic. I'll try the pub then," I mutter, irritated.

"I come with you. They don't like strangers at pub," he says and stands up, walking around the desk to my side.

"I'm sure I can manage on my own, thanks," I say as politely as possible.

Raising his eyebrows at me he says, "My good friend owns pub. Let me accompany you, he will give you room."

Not bothering to argue, I walk back outside, and get on my ride, waiting for the guy, who is putting up a 'closed' sign, and locks the door, before taking a seat behind me. I turn the key and we're off, riding down the road past small houses and a little field, glistening in the early morning sunlight. I stop dead out the front of the old looking pub and turn off the ignition, pocketing the key. The sun is barely over the horizon, and I can hear lively chatter coming from inside the pub. _Typical Ruskiis._ Standing up off my ride, I walk slowly beside the inn guy into the pub. When the doors close, all eyes shoot up to look at the guy beside me, and he gives a wide wave to everyone, who greet him loudly.

"Follow me to back, I talk to Sergei and he give you room," the guy says and, grasps my upper arm, leading me to the very back of the pub and through a door to where another guy – who I am assuming is Sergei – is handling about five bottles of vodka.

When he sees me with the guy, he addresses him by his name, "Ah, Vladimir! You're away from your inn early. Who is this girl?"

"Sergei, moy drug, this is Phoenix. She needs room; you will give her one, da?" Vladimir asks.

"What is she paying?" Sergei asks, regarding me impassively.

"I pay her bill, moy drug," Vladimir replies, glancing sideways at me.

I interject, "No, that's not necessary, I can pay my own way."

Vladimir stares down his nose at me, and a smirk touches his lips. Sergei regards me for a moment longer, and then lets a small smile creep onto his face. "I have room for your new lady-friend," he says to Vladimir, then turns to me, "follow Sergei, I take good care of you."

Placing the bottles of vodka down, he ushers us through the door and around the bar to a set of stairs and ascends them. Vladimir and I follow, walking down a short hallway to the very end, stopping at a dark wood door.

Sergei pulls a ring of keys from under his apron and pulls one off, handing it to me. "This room is yours as long as you need," he says kindly.

"Thank you very much," I reply, taking the rusty key.

I place it in the lock and turn it, pushing the door open. It creaks loudly and I step inside, followed by Vladimir.

"Vladimir will help you settle in, I have to restock bar," Sergei says, and then disappears down the hall. _Restock the bar at this time of morning?_

I walk towards the old single bed and place my bag beside it before, sitting on the bed and yawning.

"This is best room in pub. Has own bathroom," Vladimir explains.

"You don't need to pay for my stay here, Vladimir, you don't even know me," I say, looking up at him.

"I know you well enough. We are on first name terms, so, we know each other now," he smiles at me.

I furrow my brow for a second, and then shake my head slowly. "How about that drink? That's the least I could do for your help," I shrug.

"I hold you to that promise, Phoenix. I will knock on door at five in afternoon. You sleep now," he says, his thick accent reminding me of Luca.

"Thank you, Vladimir. I will see you later."

"Have good dreams."

With that, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him. I kick off my shoes and lie back on the bed, feeling every cell of my body melting and relaxing into the springy mattress. I let out a sigh and close my eyes, falling asleep instantly.

* * *

**It's about time I say thank you for all the reviews I've been getting, so Thank You for all the reviews and I hope you keep on reading. :D**


	23. Lost Key

**Finally, a new chapter! Been having troubles with the interweb stick, but finally figured out that I can use my mobile as a portable hotspot. Winning! Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three

I blink awake, my dream still lingering in my mind and I shake my head to rid myself of the image. My body clock is screwed up and I am disoriented. At first, I don't remember where I am, then a second later, the room becomes familiar.

"Right, Terra Ruskii…In a pub," I mutter, sitting up and swinging my legs over the edge of the bed onto the floor.

I rub my eyes and pull my duffle bag towards me, hoisting it up into my lap and unzipping it to retrieve some fresh clothes. I drop the bag carelessly and walk towards a narrow white door, into the dingy bathroom.

Upon opening the bathroom door, I am greeted with a musty, hasn't-been-opened-up-in-ages smell. I flick a switch on the wall and the single illumination crystal, held in a bracket on the far wall, flickers to life. The bathroom is tiny, housing an old toilet, a rusty vanity sink and a small tub – no shower. A mosaic of brown tiles cover the walls, and the floor looks like it might have been white once, with mould covering the grout between the tiles. I place my clothes next to the sink and turn towards the bathtub, turning the faucet on. Making a groaning sound, the pipes shake and rusty reddish-brown water splutters out. I let the water run for a good minute until it turns clear, and put the plug in, watching as the tub slowly fills.

* * *

Sitting on the bed, I look over to the left side of the room to where the grandfather clock is and check the time; it is ten to five.

"Slept all day, can't believe it," I think aloud.

I look out the tiny window, but cannot see much for the layer of grime covering it, so I flop back on the bed and try to think of a plan for my next move. I need some more fuel crystals if I'm going to make it all the way to even the edge of Cyclonian airspace from here, maybe Vladimir knows somewhere I can get some. There does not seem to be a service station here, but surely, someone deals in fuel crystals.

_I will ask him if he actually joins me for that drink,_ I think to myself and run my hand through my hair, half hoping that he doesn't show up. Sighing, my mind is drawn to what Aerrow might be thinking of me. I hope he does not hate me, but then again, maybe it would better if he does.

_Whatever. _I shake my head, push myself up of the bed, and make it, pulling the covers up haphazardly before sitting again and pulling my bag into my lap. I unzip it and rummage around for a hair-tie, finding one and placing my bag back on the floor. Grabbing my hair in a ponytail, I tie it in place out of the way then rub my neck, feeling the scab from the cut. The clock startles me when it starts chiming, letting me know that it is five o'clock. I hear a firm knock on the door and sigh as I stand up to open it.

Vladimir is waiting patiently, leaning on the wall just outside my room. I notice his eyes twinkle when he sees me.

"Dobryj Den', Phoenix," he greets me in his ever thick Ruskii accent.

I plaster a smile on my face, and reaching into my memory, remember the few things Luca taught me to say. Nodding my head I reply, "Privet, Vladimir, kak tvoi dela?"

"I am fine. You speak Ruskii well, who taught you?"

"Just a friend," I shrug then continue, "Shall we head down to the bar?"

"Da."

Closing the door and locking it, we head downstairs to the bar, which is full of lively and somewhat drunk patrons, talking and singing loudly. Vladimir leads me over to the bar and grabs the bartender's attention, who inclines his head towards us.

Vladimir holds two fingers up to the bartender, and over the noise, I hear him say, "Dva."

Turning back to me, he inclines his head to a table in the far corner, which is mostly in the shadows and I begin to walk over, Vladimir in tow. I take the seat that is completely out of the light and Vladimir sits in the half-light, the shadows on his face giving him an eerie look. I look around, not sure how to start a conversation with him. I'm glad that it is quiet in this corner of the pub, we won't need to yell to each other at least.

Breaking the silence, Vladimir is the first to talk. "So what are you doing this far out? Not many Terras around for miles."

"There is something I need to take care of," I reply, being careful with my words.

He rests his elbow on the table, leaning forward, so his chin is propped up on his hand. "Why is woman like you all alone?" he asks, cocking an eyebrow.

I shrug, "Being alone is more convenient."

Nodding once, he breathes through his nose and continues with the questions. "Where you come from, Miss Phoenix?"

"Far away, Vladimir," I reply in a clipped tone.

He nods again and looks up as the bartender places two shot-glasses of vodka on our table. Taking one, he passes me the other and brings his to his lips, nodding for me to do the same.

"Na Zdorovie," he says.

"Na Zdorovie," I reply as I bring the glass to my lips.

Tipping my head back, I drink the vodka quickly, trying not to let it touch my tongue, and place the glass back on the table, scrunching my face in distaste. Vladimir notices my reaction and laughs, a deep throaty laugh, at me.

"You not like vodka?" he asks, the laugh reverberating in his chest.

I shake my head and blink a few times before regaining my composure, taking a deep breath through my nose. "Just not used to it," I murmur.

"So what do you have to take care of this far out? The only Terras around here are controlled by Cyclonia," Vladimir raises his eyebrows at me.

"Just something I need to do. It's not really anybody's business," I reply, raising my eyebrows back at him.

Leaning back in his chair, Vladimir opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "May ask as to why you are interrogating me?"

A trace of a smile touches his lips and he strokes the stubble on his face before replying. "I just wanted to make sure," he says, pursing his lips while continuing to stroke his chin.

"Be sure of what?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"Of whom you are, Phoenix Emeraldia."

"How do you know my surname?" I ask, a little more than slightly shocked.

"Luca," he replies simply, and goes on, "He was in your Squadron, da?"

"Da." _His cousin…_ "You're his older cousin, aren't you?"

Vladimir nods his head once, a grim line replacing the playful smile.

"I'm sorry." The words leave my mouth before I can register that I have said them and I divert my gaze, unable to look this man in the eyes.

"It is not your fault," he assures me. Leaning forward again, he beckons with his index finger for me to do the same. "I know what you are doing. It is not hard to guess. Cyclonis has control over this beloved Terra of mine. People are scared, they do what they are told, it is not right. I am leader of the Ruskii Resistance," he whispers.

"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.

"Because the one known as Dark Ace frequents this terra, this pub. You want to kill him, da?"

"Hang on a second, The Dark Ace?"

"Da. He is due here tomorrow evening. Phoenix, avenge my cousin for me. I would gladly kill him, but it would put my people in danger," Vladimir whispers, hurriedly.

"Vladimir, I can't. I have a plan. I can lure him away, but that is all. I promise that your terra will be free of Cyclonian reign one day, but I need a little time."

"I understand." For a moment, his eyes hold a haunted ghost. "I do not know the details, all I know is Luca died. What happened?"

I swallow hard, not wanting to remember the demise of my Squadron. "He fought like I had never seen. He was strong, held on to his sense of humour to the very last second…Until…" I try to swallow the lump in my throat and continue, "He nearly had the Dark Ace, and then Cyclonis distracted him. The last thing I saw was a blade through his midsection. I didn't have enough time to heal him."

Vladimir looks as though he has tasted something quite bitter. "Attacked from behind. I know you will give The Dark Ace what he deserves, I only hope it is soon, Phoenix," he says.

"I will avenge Luca. For me, for you." Pausing for a moment I go on, "I need to ask you something," I mutter.

"Ask away."

"Fuel crystals. Do you know where I can get any?"

"Da. I will bring some to you tomorrow, at midday," Vladimir replies.

"Thank you," I mutter. Running my hand through my ponytail, I lean back in my chair, an idea hitting me. "When that scum comes here, does he interact with anyone in particular?" I ask, crossing my legs and beginning to twirl my hair.

"Only the bartender, Yurii. He hates him with deep passion," Vladimir adds on, chuckling slightly.

"I see. That is all I need, thank you Vladimir," I utter quietly.

"Let us go for walk, somewhere private," he says, inclining his head to the door.

"That sounds nice, but I should probably head back to my room," I reject him as politely as possible.

"Pozhalujsta, I insist."

"Very well," I reply, sighing and standing up. Reaching into my purse, I pull out some money and leave it under my shot-glass, before walking to the door where Vladimir is waiting.

Holding the door open, Vladimir gestures me out with his free arm and we begin walking, the gravel crunching beneath our boots. The temperature has dropped considerably, and I can see my breath, white vapour, billowing out in front of me as I breathe. Rubbing my hands up my arms, I hunch over slightly as I walk, trying to retain some of my body heat.

The frosty ground continues to crunch under our feet as we walk down the street in the direction of the inn. Approaching it, Vladimir gestures towards it and we cross the road, coming to a stop while he fishes into his pocket for the key. He opens the door and ushers me in – out of the cold.

"Safer to talk in here, no shady characters," he explains when I give a questioning glance.

"What was wrong with the pub? We could have gone up to my room if you wanted to have a private conversation," I say, absorbing the warmth of the inn.

"Net. Here is better, I lock door," he replies as he locks the door and ushers me through another one behind the desk.

We walk into a small office that has a little desk in the far left corner with a small work lamp and scattered papers covering it. Lining the walls are various pictures, one of which caches my attention fully; it is Vladimir and Luca, and they look like they are standing in a field and there is a roaring bon fire raging away behind them, both with huge boyish grins plastered on their faces.

"That is the last picture taken of the two of us. It was last year, my birthday – we had great time," Vladimir murmurs wistfully.

I nod my head and take a seat on the old cracked leather couch opposite the desk. "Okay, so we're in private now, what do you want to talk about?" I enquire, crossing my legs and resting my elbow on the arm of the couch.

"This plan of yours. You plan on killing those responsible for all of this destruction, da?" Vladimir asks, as he sits in the chair at his desk.

For some reason, I feel no need to hide information from this man – like I can trust him completely. Or maybe I just _want_ to trust him. Regardless, I should be careful not to tell him too much, it could put everybody on this terra in jeopardy.

"Vladimir, I am going to be honest with you," I say and shuffle in my seat, turning to face him fully. "I cannot be sure if I can trust you or anybody else I meet. To put it bluntly, I do not want to make friends with you. I am an extremely dangerous person to be associated with. And finally, I am not going to divulge anything else to you, for I have already told too much. I do hope you can understand," I finish carefully, gauging his reaction.

Stroking his chin, Vladimir looks down his nose at me before letting out a breath and smiling slightly. "I understand. I guess it was too much for me to ask of you to divulge such information, Phoenix," he says nodding slowly.

I breathe a silent sigh of relief and force a polite smile onto my face, anxiety blooming in my belly as I try to think of what to do next. "I should head back, I need to ready myself for the journey ahead," I murmur.

"Da, I will accompany you back to Sergei's pub. Let us go now."

Vladimir stands, offering his hand as I begin to rise form the old couch – I take it and he helps me up. I mutter my thanks and we proceed to walk back through the inn, down the road to the pub.

* * *

"I will see you tomorrow at noon; I can give you enough fuel crystals for you to make it to Cyclonia, but only just. Try not to make too many detours, Phoenix," Vladimir says as we stand outside the bedroom and I fish into my pocket for the key.

"Spasibo, Vladimir. I greatly appreciate your help. Good night," I reply, stepping through the door and closing it. It takes my eyes nearly a minute to adjust to the dim light of the room. But when they do, my hand flies to my mouth, halting a shocked gasp.

Not bothering to activate the illumination crystal, I step forward hesitantly, looking around me as I do so, until I reach the bed. The covers are thrown back and my few possessions are scattered over the mattress and floor surrounding.

"Who did this?" I whisper to myself, and begin to gather up everything and shove it back into my duffle bag. My heart is racing and I try to calm myself, taking deep slow breaths, but that does no good. Who could have possibly got in here? I scan my memory for any suspicious looking characters from the bar, but no one stood out.

_It couldn't have been Sergei…could it?_ The thought crosses my mind, but I force it back; there is no way he would have done it, he didn't even give off any bad energies. Vladimir checks out, there is nothing suspicious about him at all. I can only be glad that my judge of character is damn near perfect. If it had been either one of them, I would have known instantly.

I finish tidying up my belongings and think it best not to dwell on this incident. Maybe it was a bum looking for something of value. _Well, they lucked out here._ The only things of value I have are the blades on my back and my skimmer…

"Fuck!" I nearly yell, and pat myself down, checking my pockets. _Not here_! I begin to rummage through my bag, flinging my clothes all over the mattress, searching for the key to my ride. I check all the pockets of the bag, pockets of clothes, holding them and shaking them out, all in a vain attempt to find my skimmer's key. "Shit!" I hiss through clenched teeth.

Placing my hands on top of my head, I sink down into a squatting position, curling my fingers in my hair, my heart racing, panic rising and anger building. I never should have left here; I should have just come back up after that drink. I scrunch my eyes tightly shut and take a deep breath, but lose my balance and fall backwards, hitting my head on a leg of the dresser. A groan escapes my lungs and I rub the spot that made contact with the wood, pushing myself to my feet. The pain is inconsequential; I have bigger problems than a sore head. I begin pacing back and forth, around the room, trying to think with all my being that if the key was here, where the hell it could be. I make one more frivolous attempt at locating the key, but no matter where I look or how many times, I can't find it. I sink heavily down onto the bed - ignoring the protesting groaning sound it makes – and put my head in my hands.

I am shocked out of silence by the sound of frantic knocking on my door. Quickly, I stand up and rush over, reefing it open with such force that it nearly comes off its hinges. Standing there, in mid-knock, is Vladimir, a strained expression upon his face.

"Phoenix! I sensed trouble, are you alright?" he pants, lowering his arm.

"Vladimir, I… Someone has stolen my skimmer key, and If I think correctly, my damn skimmer," I say, my mouth and throat going dry.

Not waiting for an invitation, Vladimir pushes past me and into my room, looking around and striding from wall to wall before back to me. He reaches past me and closes the door, then turns to face me.

"Vladimir, what do you know of this?" I ask, suddenly feeling paranoid. For the short time that I have known him, Vladimir is acting far too out of the usual, his energies do not feel right.

"I needed to make sure you were alone," he says, avoiding my question.

I should be starting to relax by now, but something is very wrong, why can't I figure it out?

"You are alone aren't you?" he asks rather manically.

I nod in reply. "Vladimir, Pozhalujsta, tell me what is going on?" I ask, my voice wanting to quiver, but I keep it steady.

"Okay, now I know that you're alone, there is one thing I need to ask you." He pauses and steps uncomfortably close so I can feel his hot breath on my face and I close my eyes. "How are you, Little Birdie?"

My eyes fly open and a shocked gasp escapes my lips before I have time to react or take anything in. Burning crimson eyes stare into mine, through me, a cocky sneer plastered to his face. Words have evaded me, I stand still as a statue and breathe quickly through my nose, trying to fathom what I am seeing before me.

"What's that matter little Birdie? Did I frighten you?" The Dark Ace leers at me, a stupid smirk playing about his lips.

Finally, the ability to talk comes back to me. "You stole the key to my skimmer," I accuse, more angry than frightened.

"Ouch. Me, a thief?" A look of mock indignation crosses his face.

"Well that sword was not yours before you killed Lightening Strike," I hiss, narrowing my eyes at him.

He dismisses my statement and idly strolls around my room. "What are you doing here, Sky Knight? Are you sticking your nose in my business again?"

Realization of an opportunity hits me. "You could say that. I was actually on my way to find you," I reply, regaining my composure, trying to make my voice sound nonchalant.

The Dark Ace stops in his tracks and turns his upper body to face me, raising one of his eyebrows. "Ahh, yes, I recall you saying something about meeting me from our previous encounter. May I enquire as to why?"

I do not answer him; I watch him carefully watching me and square my shoulders, refusing to be intimidated by this man. Noticing the crystal in the base of his sword, it appears to still hold an ounce of energy; it has been used only minutes before. Nausea grips me and I have to swallow hard and try to keep composure. A question forms in my mind, but I fear I know the answer already.

"Where is Vladimir, Dark Ace?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, but my tone is steady and forceful.

"Why do you ask? Was he of some importance to you?" Dark Ace replies with a question, but his answer confirms my fear.

_I'm so sorry, Vladimir…at least you are reunited with Luca,_ I think to myself, ignoring the tears that burn in my throat. "As I suspected. I hope you made his death quick," I say as nonchalantly as possible, my voice at a regular level.

"You do not seemed phased by that man's untimely demise," Dark Ace mutters, somewhat bemused.

I shrug my shoulders and look him dead in the eye. "I was on my way to Cyclonia. I have reconsidered you Master's offer," I state, trying not to sarcastically emphasize the word _Master_.

He turns his full body to face me, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. _That caught your attention, didn't it, fucker. _I keep my expression impassive – lazy almost – as The Dark Ace regards me intently, cocking his head to the side ever so slightly. Before he can say anything, I speak. "That is one powerful cloaking crystal you were using," I point out, inclining my head in his direction.

He lets out an unamused snort and leisurely sinks down to sit on the bed, removing his sword from its sheath to balance himself as he leans forward. "You have quite the silver tongue, little Birdie. Are my ears deceived, or did you just say you want to join the Cyclonian Empire?" he inquires, resting one hand on the other atop the base of his sword and leans back so he is sitting straight with the weapon between his parted legs.

It takes nearly all of my self-control, not to make a smart-arse remark or kill him right here on the spot. I nod my head curtly and stay silent, killing him in my mind and smiling fondly at the visualized image, while keeping my gaze trained on The Dark Ace's crimson eyes. He shakes his head slowly, and begins to stand up.

"What makes you think that Master Cyclonis would still be interested in you?" he asks, looking down his nose at me as if he were superior.

I grit my teeth, but keep my calm, cool and collected self before responding. "Well, I am smart, intuitive, extremely powerful." I pause, pretending to think. "And good looking," I add on for dramatic effect.

"Why the sudden change of direction?" he asks sceptically.

"That is for me know and for you to find out…comrade," I say conspiratorially, drawing on the last word, hating myself for even saying it.

He strides over to me, with the grace of a shadow, sword in hand, and stops only half a foot away, his eyes never leaving mine. I swallow deeply and keep my shoulders squared, throwing back a gaze as piercing as his.

"Assemble your belongings," he says in an authoritive voice, much like Aerrow's.

I blink slowly, and then side step around him, not wanting to lose sight of him. I quickly gather up my clothes that are strewn across the floor, and shove them back into the bag, zipping it up and placing the strap on my shoulder. I glance quickly around the room to make sure I have everything and stride back over to The Dark Ace, holding out my hand.

"Key," I demand.

He doesn't move and looks at me with a bored expression. "I'll be driving," he says simply, and raises his sword.

Without any time to react, the last thing I see is a flash of an evil smirk, before the hilt of his sword connects with my head.

* * *

There is a throbbing pain in my head, and I can feel wind rushing around me. I try hard to open my eyes, but they will not obey. I am uncomfortable, cold; the only heat is coming from the legs under my belly and an elbow pressed firmly into my back. I try to open my eyes again, but it's like they are glued shut. I cannot move at all. My hands are tied behind me and I think my ankles are also restrained.

_This is not good,_ I think to myself as, once again, I attempt to open my heavy eyes. Multiple scenarios run through my mind, each more horrific than the last. I want to shudder, but I am barely hanging on to consciousness. I may not be able to open my eyes, but maybe I can talk, it's a long shot, but I try anyway.

I try to yell 'Oi!' but the word catches in my throat, and comes out muffled, if at all. Only then do I realize that my mouth is gagged and I am breathing frantically through my nose, which is beginning to run from the cold. I try wriggling, and manage to shift slightly forward. The elbow that was digging into my back disappears and a hand pulls my hair, forcing my head back and up.

"Careful now, little Birdie, if you fell off you would die, and that wouldn't make Master Cyclonis very happy now, would it?" I hear The Dark Ace's patronizing voice loud enough above the roaring wind in my ears. The hand that is pulling my hair lets go, then grabs my ankle, pulling my body back in place.

I feel like shouting '_bastard!' _but again my voice is muffled. Finally, my eyes flicker open, but I can't make anything out for the fact my vision is somewhat blurred and we are flying at an incredible speed. I blink a few times and my eyes begin to focus. My hair is flying wildly around, and I have to keep shaking my head to stop it from getting in my now open eyes. Taking a deep breath through my nose, I notice that it's only duct tape covering my mouth, easy as anything to get off. I push my tongue through my lips, lubricating the tape with my saliva, feeling it becoming unstuck until I can manage to pull the bottom of it into my mouth, grip it with my teeth and move my head about until one side is completely off. I begin to chew it into my mouth, unsticking the other side and spit the tape out, watching it fly off on the wind. Finally able to breathe properly, I drag in a deep breath of the crisp, cool night air into my lungs, and angle my head so I can see The Dar Ace's face.

I am surprised that he is watching me, a half-amused expression plastered onto his smug face, his eyebrows raised. I narrow my eyes at him and I swear a chuckle escapes his lips. "Am I amusing you, Dark Ace?" I ask over the roaring wind.

My question makes him laugh more and I shoot him a venomous look. "I see you're finally awake, this should make the rest of the trip interesting," he mutters sardonically and presses his elbow into the small of my back, harder than before.

This is ridiculous; doesn't he know that I can just use my Energy Casting power to turn my binds to dust? Smiling to myself, I do exactly that, concentrating my energy around my tied hands and ankles. Only moments later, I feel the ropes – or whatever they were – disappear, freeing my limbs.

With the speed and grace of a panther, I push myself up and off the Dark Ace's lap, leaping onto the wing of his Switchblade, causing it to dip violently, before he rights it again, looking at me incredulously. Somehow, I manage to keep my balance and leap back into the seat behind him.

"What the fuck did you just do that for?" He bellows angrily, "You could have killed us both."

I roll my eyes. "I don't fancy the thought of being restrained. Anyway, you're _supposed_ to be the best pilot in the Atmos," I yell close to his ear, revolted at the close proximity as I place my hands on his shoulders to keep balance.

"Why haven't you escaped yet?" he asks over shoulder, his hot breath mixing with the cold wind upon my face.

"You know damn well why, Dark Ace," I answer, tightening my grip on his shoulders, resisting the urge to slide my hands up to his throat and squeeze; squeeze the life energies from him for everyone he has killed and taken from me. _For everyone who died because of you,_ that dark little voice in the back of my mind whispers, sending a chilling shock through me, making me snatch my hands away from The Dark Ace's shoulders and hold them tightly against my chest, waiting for the unpleasant feeling to pass. I heave a sigh and scoot back in the small seat, trying my hardest to have any contact whatsoever with this evil man.

_If it was my fault, I should be taking revenge on myself, but the ones who have fallen did so at the hands of Cyclonis and Dark Ace, not me,_ I think, attempting to reassure myself from the bitter thoughts that are trying hard to seep into my mind and dislodge my conviction about the truth.

"I'm tired of flying, you take over," Dark Ace says over his shoulder.

My eyebrows shoot up, as he lets go of the controls and stands. I panic and scoot forward, taking over quickly from fear of crashing, and feel The Dark Ace's body heat as he sits behind me, too close for my liking.

"Why are you trusting me to fly your ride?" I ask incredulously.

"If what you say about joining Cyclonia is true, then I see no reason not to trust you," he replies simply.

I glance over my shoulder and see him place his hands lazily behind his head and lean back. What the hell is he playing at? How can he possibly trust me to fly his Switchblade when he knows how much I despise him? Turning back to gaze in front of me, I realize it's too dark to be flying at such high speeds and on a ride I'm not even familiar with. I slow down, to what I think is a safe speed and hear The Dark Ace making _tsk_ noises, obviously irritated at the slow pace. I roll my eyes and ignore him. Who knew such an evil, commanding man could act so childishly.

"I would like to get to Cyclonia today, not next year," he says impatiently.

I tighten my jaw and reply through clenched teeth, "I don't fancy the idea of crashing, and I'm not accustomed to flying Talon Switchblades. I would be happy for you to take over again."

I glance back in time to see him roll his eyes boredly and shake his head slowly. "Just fly, and quit your bitching," he mutters.

"Excuse me? You are such a rude motherfu-… Motherless bastard," I growl, feeling my energy surround me in red, the colour deepening when I hear him make a comment about my mother. He wants to go fast? Fine, he can have it his way.

Without warning, I twist the throttle hard making his Switchblade hurtle forward, faster than what we were originally travelling, the wind loosening my hair from my ponytail making it hard to see where I am going. _Wait, where am I going? _I think to myself. I have been unconscious for I don't know how long, and I'm not even sure if I am going in the right direction. Oh well, the man-child will tell me if I veer off course, that is, assuming he doesn't fall asleep.

"Do you want to destroy my ride?" Dark Ace yells over the wind into my ear.

"Do you want me to destroy you?" I shout back, still furious about his earlier remark about my mother.

"Calm down little Birdie, fly slow if you wish, we have all night after all." His voice seems to be whispered in my ear, and sounds like rough velvet. I ignore the familiar shiver that runs down my spine and put the feeling down to either being tired or concussed, there is no way a whisper can be heard above the roaring wind.

Swallowing hard, I slow down a fraction and lean back in the seat from force of habit. I sit straight back up once I realize that my back is rested straight into Dark Ace's chest. I am glad my face is already red from the wind, not that he would be able to see my blush from back there anyway. I swallow again and continue flying, sitting as forward in the seat and as far away from Dark Ace as I can. Just the fact that he is seated behind me is unsettling enough, let alone leaning into him. I shudder inwardly and try to ignore the strange feeling that falls over me.

_I can't believe Vladimir is dead…_

I take a deep steadying breath and continue on, maintaining a reasonable speed. Looking over my shoulder, I catch Dark Ace's eyes flickering over me. "Where is my ride?" I ask, hoping to hell that it is okay.

"I arranged to have it picked up while you were with that Ruskii man," he replies boredly.

"Why?"

"I had a feeling."

I snort, "you had a feeling?"

Dark Ace nods once and my lips purse. "The only feelings you get are bloodlust, other than that, I don't think you can tell a cat's arse from its face," I shoot at him.

Shaking his head in reply, he resumes his comfortable position, only this time, placing his legs either side of me on the handlebars of the ride. A frustrated groan bubbles up in the back of my throat as I resist yet another urge to kill him. I shake my head, and focus on the task at hand; flying and not crashing this bastard's Switchblade.

I look for any indication of the time, but there is no moon tonight. Sighing, I turn my gaze back to the man-child and ask the time.

"About three o'clock in the morning, Sky Knight. Why? Are you expecting someone?"

I roll my eyes at him. "We're stopping in at the next terra, I'm hungry," I state, not bothering to even ask if I can.

"You're supposed to be my prisoner, what makes you think I am going to give in to your request?" he asks, an air of superiority around him.

I narrow my eyes and flash my energy out dangerously, surrounding me in a blood-red pulsating aura for a few seconds before I pull it back in. "I think that is why, Dark Ace," I say, trying to act sweetly.

Annoyance flits across his face and he sneers at me. "Very well, have it your way, Sky Knight," he growls.

At least he isn't so stupid as to think that I cannot kill him if I wanted to; and I really, really, very much would love to. My stomach rumbles almost painfully as I check the navigation instrument and I speed up. The next terra is only five minutes away, if they have some kind 24 hour food store, that would be great.

* * *

I pull to a stop, taking the key out of the ignition and pocketing it, shooting The Dark Ace a sarcastic smirk. If he wants to hang on to my key, I'll hang on to his.

"There is an all-night diner around here somewhere," Dark Ace states, reaching into his pocket and balling his fist around something.

I eye him suspiciously, then there is a shimmer around him before his image changes to that of Vladimir.

"Disguise," he explains when he see my look of incredulity.

"You are one sick son of a bitch," I mutter disgustedly and push past him, bumping my shoulder into him rather forcefully.

"Watch yourself, Sky Knight, just because you have those powers doesn't mean I can't hurt you," Dark Ace says through Vladimir's voice.

I shudder and stop, turning to face him. "Don't you have a different disguise?" I ask half-angrily.

"Well, of course I do, but I wanted to use this one," he replies, something playing behind his eyes. I feel my nostrils flare as my mouth sets in a grim line. "You should think about a disguise too, Sky Knight. I have an extra cloaking crystal here." He pulls it out, and passes it to me.

Before I take it, I shake my head. "I don't need that," I mutter and concentrate on my less used energy, trying to change my appearance.

I go through the list of faces in my mind and finally settle on one, focusing on the certain features, I begin to notice my aura shimmering. When it stops, I stride over to peer into a still duck pond, assessing my new appearance. My heart lodges itself in my throat, and it takes all my self-control not to give away any emotion.

I look into the reflection in the pond; thick wavy snow-white hair, highset cheek bones, semi-full lips with a natural smile, and eyes so kind they could stop a bog-howler in its tracks, eyes that are the clearest blue, eyes that would stare into my own when I was just an infant. Eyes that would radiate kindness when I was sad or scared. Eyes that I loved to look at every night before drifting off.

I straighten myself, squaring my shoulders and clearing my throat.

"You look familiar," Dark Ace states boredly.

"Calithea Emeraldia – my mother. You slit her throat, remember?" I shoot at him, the wounds still raw.

He ignores my venomous words. "You look nothing like her."

"I take after my father," I mumble and begin walking, trying to find this diner.


	24. Destination, Cyclonia

**Here's another one! making the most of my mobile's data/credit. Read, enjoy and review :)**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Second left up ahead," Dark Ace informs me, as we are strolling down the quiet street.

Pretending to ignore him, I keep walking until turning left down a smaller street, and spot a dim light about three quarters of the way down. I look over my shoulder to see Dark Ace – disguised as Vladimir – a few paces behind me, an irritated expression playing about his smug face.

"Make this quick, I want to be back in Cyclonia before midday, Sky Knight," he snarls.

I ball my hands into fists by my side and begin to walk faster, quickly approaching the small diner. "If you wish to keep your face undamaged, I suggest showing me some respect, Talon," I say through clenched teeth and turn on my heel to face him.

Rolling his eyes at me, Dark Ace pulls his sword from his back and activates the crystal energy; crackling red light surrounds the blade. I reach for my blades, but am shocked when my hands grasp thin air.

"Missing something?" he sneers, an apparent look of smugness upon his face.

Taking a deep breath, I flash my aura out, a deep threatening red, pulsating around me in time with my heartbeat. "Not that I need them, but where are my Energy blades?" I ask, my voice quiet and measured.

"I'm hanging on to them for safekeeping; you're already annoying enough with your casting," Dark Ace responds, shrugging his shoulders.

I bite my tongue until I taste a faint trace of blood and inhale sharply through my nose. "Very well." I turn around and continue walking, pulling my aura back in.

Before it vanishes completely, the light from my aura is enough to catch my reflection in a dark shop window. My footsteps falter and suddenly Dark Ace collides with my back, knocking me down into the dirt. I manage to throw my hands in front of me before my face hits the ground, and a shocked gasp escapes my lips.

"Stupid woman, watch where you're going!" I hear Dark Ace growl from behind me.

I scrunch my eyes tightly shut for a moment, trying to shake the feeling of disorientation. Opening my eyes, I am met with the sight of black boots, inches from my face, one tapping impatiently. I push myself half up, so that I am in a half sitting position, my hands still planted firmly on the ground and my left leg under my right. I hear an exasperated sigh before Dark Ace bends down and grasps my upper arm, jerking me to my feet rather painfully. I inhale sharply, my mouth agape at the sudden forcefulness. When he lets go, there is dull throbbing pain in my arm, and I shoot him a furious glare.

"If looks could kill," he mutters boredly. "Get a move on Sky Knight."

I brush myself off and rub my arm gently as I begin to walk again. "If looks could kill, indeed," I mutter under my breath, feeling something dark unfurl itself in the depths of my soul.

As I walk through the door into the diner, there is a little bell that rings with a quiet tinny sound, indicating a customer has entered. I am surprised to see at least twelve people occupying booths – they all look up and the men stare, their mouths hanging open when their gazes fall upon me. _Yeah, it's just a disguise you idiots._ I spot a few empty booths, but opt for the one furthest away from everyone.

I slide in, facing the wall and scoot closer to the window, while the man-child takes a seat opposite me, resting his elbows on the table with steepled fingers in front of his mouth. My eyes flick over his face. If I was none the wiser, I could mistake him for the real – now dead – Vladimir. Until my eyes find his, although they have gone from crimson to slate grey, there is still that sadistic, evil look behind them. I shake my head disapprovingly and divert my gaze, looking up as the waitress approaches our table. I smile up at her kindly, and she returns the gesture, pulling a notepad and pen out from the pocket on her apron.

"What will it be, dear?" she asks politely, apparently having not noticed the idiot opposite me. Her eyes look tired, but friendly - a nice, soft brown. Her strawberry-blond hair is tied back in a loose bun with a few escaped tendrils framing her pale face. I notice her name tag – Tilly.

"I'll have whatever the specialty is for today, and a double shot espresso, thank you," I reply, watching her hand scribbling down my order.

"And what would you like…" Tilly's voice fades away when her eyes fall upon Vladimir/Dark Ace.

I clear my throat, and she pulls herself together, quick smart, waiting for a reply from the man that has her swooning at his feet.

"I will have what she is having, and make it quick," he says in a clipped tone, oblivious to the fact that this woman is about to spontaneously combust from his accent.

"That will be just a moment." Before she turns away, I catch a glimpse of her cheeks turning a deep puce.

I turn my head to face Dark Ace and it appears his gaze never left me. "You should have chosen a different disguise," I whisper.

"And why is that?" he whisper's back in Vladimir's voice.

"Because you nearly killed that poor woman, just by talking," I reply, rolling my eyes.

"Not my problem." He shrugs and leans back in the seat, his head resting on the padded wall behind him.

We sit in silence for about ten or fifteen minutes, occasionally throwing each other less than pleasant glares. I look up when I hear footsteps approaching our table; Tilly the waitress is bringing our food and coffee. She places first my plate in front of me, then Dark Ace's in front of him, lingering for a few seconds longer.

"Thank you," I say, and she straightens up, brushing her hands over her apron to smooth it.

Dark Ace starts to pick at his food, looking at it suspiciously.

"So what brings a lovely couple like yourselves out this way?" Tilly asks, blushing heavily when she looks away from Dark Ace to me.

"Oh, we're not a couple," I splutter hurriedly.

"Oh, so you're single then?" she directs her question at Dark Ace.

Before he can answer, I reply for him. "He is, but he's gay. Recently broke up with his boyfriend only days ago," I say, lacing my voice with sympathy, roiling with laugher in the inside.

"Oh…Well, I'm sorry to hear that. You take care, dear." With that, the crestfallen waitress retreats, leaving us to eat in peace.

I nearly burst out laughing at the expression on his face when I look at him, his fork hovering in mid-air and his mouth agape.

"What?" I shrug, picking up my coffee and taking a sip, gazing over the rim at him.

He says nothing and continues eating; clearing his plate by the time I'm only half way through mine. When I have finished, I push the plate away from me and pick up my coffee and down it quickly, placing the cup next to the plate.

"Seeing as you are currently holding all of my possessions hostage, you're paying for the meal," I state, smiling over-sweetly at him.

Scowling, he pulls out his wallet and places a few notes on the table, placing his empty cup on them, before standing up and shuffling out of the booth. I follow, taking my sweet time, while his impatience grows. Standing up, I side-step and make for the exit, stepping out into the chilly air.

When we are a far distance from the diner, and can see the Switchblade again, I let my disguise fall, regaining my usual appearance. The effort required to maintain the disguise for as long as I have has drained my energy and exhausted me. Approaching the Switchblade, I turn and face Dark Ace, who is still disguised as Vladimir – which, surprisingly, I am used to now.

"You can drop the disguise any time now," I mutter.

"I like this disguise," he replies, narrowing his eyes.

"If you are trying to make me feel uncomfortable in any way, it's not working. I'm not going to break down and cry over some person that I knew for barely twenty-four hours," I state, trying to sound as convincing as possible – it works. Dark Ace reaches into his pocket and balls his hand around the crystal, deactivating it and in a blink of an eye, he his back to his usual self.

Digging the key out of my pocket, I throw my leg over the seat and sit down. I realize in that moment, that I am far too tired to fly, so I scoot back in the seat and hold the key out to the man-child.

"You're driving," I mutter, and he takes the key, swiftly taking a seat and starting the ride, taking off just as fast.

* * *

With great skill and balance, I pull the hair-tie from my hair and redo it, tying it in a loose bun to try to keep my hair from getting in my face. Keeping myself as far back in the seat I can, I try to relax, but find it nearly impossible; my mind is continuously drawn to Vladimir – yet another innocent life taken because of me. I shake my head and close my eyes, covering my face with my hands. Heaving a sigh, I lean up and back, trying at all costs to not make any more body contact with Dark Ace than necessary. Far in the distance, I can make out the horizon, tinted with red.

_Cyclonia, we are getting closer._

My stomach does black-flips and anxiety grips me, making my already rapid heart rate increase. This could go either of two ways; the first being Cyclonis believes me and I get in without a problem or the second being that her intuition is as great as mine, and she kills me on the spot. I realize that I have not thought this plan through as much as I probably should have, but it is far too late to turn back now. I am sitting on the back of The Dark Ace's Switchblade; my skimmer and the rest of my belongings held hostage. To what do I owe the bad luck of this day? I guess it cannot possibly get much worse, maybe an hour and a half tops until we reach Cyclonian airspace, and the only thing I have to protect me is my Energy Casting.

I have no idea how long it will take Cyclonis to gain my trust, but when she does; her guard will drop around me considerably, enabling me to attack her mostly unexpectedly. The Dark Ace is a completely different story; he seems not like the trusting type, at all…whatsoever. I will need to come up with a side plan to win the fucker over. I shake my head, trying not to overthink this and take note of the sky around us beginning to lighten, the clouds holding a bright orange and golden hue from the rising sun.

On any other day, I would say it is an outstanding sunrise, but my mind is too clouded from the many racing thoughts refusing to stop, and my growing anxiety which gores stronger the closer to Cyclonia I get. I suppose being knocked out and kidnapped has not helped at all. On the plus side of being knocked out, at least I did not dream, that same damn dream nearly each and every night, forcing its way into my mind, making me perform an incredulous act, one of which I have never even considered in the waking life.

_That could work_, the dark little voice in the back my mind whispers. I shudder and ignore that terrible thought completely. _That_ will never happen, even if he were the last man in the Atmos and procreation was an option. Just…never.

I am starting to feel the chill from the cold snap of the morning, so I hug myself, rubbing my hands against my upper arms for warmth.

"How much longer until we arrive in Cyclonia, Talon?" I lean forward and ask over the roaring wind.

He says nothing. I'm not sure whether he did not hear me, or he is just ignoring me. Letting out an exasperated sigh, I lean back and continue rubbing my arms, trying not to give in to hypothermia.

* * *

The main fortress of Cyclonia looms dark and unforgiving before us as we enter Cyclonian airspace. It is massive, with the large curved shape of the fortress itself and the deadly looking spines that protrude from the very top, giving it the look of 'abandon-hope-all-he-who-enter-here'. I swallow hard, realizing how unprepared I really am for this task. The sky around us has the eeriest colour of bloody orange, as if it is stained with the blood from the countless victims of this dictatorial Empire. I notice Dark Ace slow down considerably, preparing to land in one of the many hanger bays – probably the one that leads to the throne room.

The closer we get, the air seems to become thicker – harder to breathe. I find myself taking deeper breaths, trying to get the oxygen I need. Maybe it's just me; the man-child seems not to be affected at all.

_Probably just the anxiety. _

I close my eyes, visualizing calm, white light surrounding me, and begin to feel better - starting to breathe easier. Wow, master of Zen. I look around us, noticing a few battle cruisers, and the dots of which are talons flying around on their switchblades. Dark Ace appears to be heading towards the western face of the fortress, where only two landing strips are protruding from the face of the colossal tower. A feeling of unwanted awe strikes me at the sheer size of this place. The landing strips come into clear, full view and Dark Ace heads for the one on the left.

Just before landing, the ride transforms into its bike form and speeds down the runway, skidding to a stop once we are inside. My body jerks forward from the inertia and sudden force at which we have stopped and makes full contact with Dark Ace's back, pushing him forward in the seat.

"Fuck!" The word leaves my mouth without me thinking about it, forcing its way past my lips and loudly into the air around us, echoing throughout the hanger bay. I peel myself away from Dark Ace and stand up off the ride, running my hands over the top of my head and taking a deep breath.

"Quite the dirty mouth you've got there, little Birdie." He smirks at me, placing the key for his ride in his pocket.

"Well, a warning would have been appreciated, Talon," I retort, balling my hands into fists.

"Turn around for a second," he mutter, gesturing with his index finger.

"Why would I want to do that?" I ask, narrowing my eyes.

"Just do it. You are going to have to learn to obey without question if you are seriously going to become a Talon," Dark Ace mutters, irritated.

"Talon Commander, Dark Ace. I might even get your job," I say, quietly, threateningly.

His nostrils flare for a second, and then he steps towards me, grabs my shoulder and forces me to turn around. His hand runs relatively slow down the length of my arm to my wrist. Gosse-bumps are left in his hand's wake and a small unpleasant shudder runs through me. He takes hold of my other wrist and binds my hand together behind me.

"What the hell are you doing?" I ask.

"What do you think? I'm taking a precaution. If you try anything it will be easier to kill you. Try to break out."

I pull at the binds, my hands not budging, the binds cutting into my flesh the harder I pull.

"They're tight enough, Talon," I mutter venomously.

"Not with strength, you stupid woman, your damn powers."

"What?"

"Just try to break free."

I turn around to face him, cocking an eyebrow. "Fine, I'll humour you, Talon." Concentrating my energy around my wrists, I feel it build up slightly, then just as I begin to break the binds, a feeling of intense pain grips me, shooting up from my wrists, into my head, down to my legs, my feet. I drop to my knees, a scream forcing itself from my lungs, and tears burning in my eyes. This pain, it's like every bone is breaking, every cell being whipped, every inch of my skin lacerated, my whole body being tortured.

It's over in just a few seconds; my energy dies away instantly, but the pain lingers for a few second longer. I am curled on the ground at Dark Ace's feet, writhing in pain, a few rogue tears forcing their way from my eyes, down the side of my face. Dark Ace bends down and pulls me to my feet.

"That seems to work just fine," he smirks, his eye alight at the suffering I have just endured.

"What the fuck was that?" I ask breathlessly, pulling in deep breaths, my skin tingling all over from the after effects of whatever that was. My entire body is shaking.

"What you just experienced is consequence if you so much as try to break free. I think the master shall be as pleased as I am at the result. It's a simple crystal integrated into each end of the binding material, whether you wish to use rope or anything else. Alone, these crystals hold no value, but they have been specifically created by Master Cyclonis herself, to work together to prevent all attempts at escape." I am surprised that he has just told me so much. His crimson eyes are swimming with mirth – probably hoping that I try to break out again so he can watch me writhe in pain.

As much as I hate to admit it, I am quite impressed with this level of crystal technology. "Am I right in assuming that these were created to detain a specific person…namely, me?" I ask.

"You are quite correct, Sky Knight. Now walk, Master Cyclonis is expecting me." He shoves my shoulder and I begin walking, keeping a firm grip on me.

Our footsteps echo off the walls – the only sound around us – as we walk to, what I am guessing, is the throne room.

There are many flights of stairs, hallways and doors lining corridors. The floors are all dark stone and some of the walls are lined with thick metal. Dark Ace steers me right and we begin striding down the longest corridor so far. There are no doors lining the walls, only one huge black door right at the very end, two brackets holding large illumination crystals either side.

_This is it. I will either walk out of that room a Talon, or not at all. _

I swallow and come to a stop. Dark Ace lets go of me and steps around in front, grasping the large handles, and pulling the double doors open wide. I step back just in time so he does not tread on my feet.

"Wait here, Sky Knight." With that, he strides purposefully into the throne room - back straight, shoulders squared and an impassive look upon his face. If he wasn't an evil scumbag, I would probably find him quite damn attractive, but the fact that he murdered my parents kind of clouds that image of him.

I hear Cyclonis' voice drift through the open doors.

"_Is everything taken care of, Dark Ace?_"

"_Yes Master. The leader of the Ruskii resistance deemed a slight problem, but I took care of it. He won't interfere with our operation again._"

"_Very good. Have you heard anything more from Miss Emeraldia? The last you told me, she seemed quite intent on meeting with you again._"

There is a slight pause in their conversation. I hear Dark Ace clear his throat.

"_As it so happens, Master Cyclonis, I have with me something of interest._"

I hear footsteps growing closer and Dark Ace comes into view, walking out the door and grasping my shoulder painfully, steers me into the throne room, towards Master Cyclonis who is sitting rather lazily atop the great stone chair.

When her eyes fall upon me, an evil smile spread across her face and her eyes narrow, sending shivers down my spine.

"Well, well, Dark Ace. You have gone above and beyond for me this time. You shall not go unrewarded." Cyclonis' voice is laced with appreciation for her man-pet.

I roll my eyes and before I can stop them, words are tumbling out of my mouth. "Actually, Cyclonis, I was on my way right here when your man-pet knocked me out and kidnapped me. So I think half the credit should go to me."

Cyclonis raises her eyebrows and tilts her head up, looking down her nose at me.

"Is that so? Why ever would you be on your way here?"

"After long and careful consideration, I have decided to take up your offer of joining you. And before you ask, I do not wish to explain my reasons for the sudden change of mind. This is something I feel I need to do…Master Cyclonis." I finish talking, trying not to gag when I call her _Master_.

Blinking slowly, she continues to gaze down at me. "Very well. We shall see how committed you are to this offer. Dark Ace, take dear Phoenix to the dungeons."

"What? You can't be serious! You spend all this time trying to get me to join Cyclonia, and now that I'm here you want to throw me in a dungeon? What's this about?" I ask, half yelling.

Ignoring me, Cyclonis waves her hand, dismissing us. Dark Ace grabs my shoulder again and forces me out of the throne room, down the long corridor and turning right, heads to what appears to be a spiral staircase carved into the wall, leading down. Dark Ace pushes me onward, and I lose my footing, nearly tumbling down the steep spiral stairs.

"Watch it, Talon," I growl once I recover my equilibrium.

"Watch it, yourself, Sky Knight," he growls back and places his hand upon my shoulder once more.

Once we have descended the stairs, the air becomes thicker, the light is dim and I can make out many cells lining the right side of the wall. They mostly appear to be empty – which I think is quite strange. Right down the end, I can make out a table and chair, like a warden's desk or something. Occasionally shoving me forward, Dark Ace walks me to the end of the corridor and stops at a cell second from the end.

"Home, sweet home," he whispers into my ear menacingly, lingering for a second. I scrunch my eyes shut, ignoring his close proximity, and relax when he takes a step back. He undoes my binds, his hands moving swiftly, and then he pushes me into the cell, locking the door behind me.

I stumble forward and right myself, then turn around to glare at Dark Ace. "I have to say, your hospitality exceeds my expectations, Talon," I mutter sarcastically.

He ignores my remark and looks smugly at me, his eyes flicking over my body, making me feel vulnerable. "I suggest not using your powers in here. If you try, then you will experience unimaginable pain, a whole lot worse than earlier." His eyes shine with the memory of me writhing in pain on the ground in front of him and I shoot him a deadly glare.

"I look forward to taking your position as head Talon Commander." I walk closer to the bars and lean my face into them, silently challenging him. He takes a small step forward until the bars are the only things preventing bodily contact.

"Sweet dreams, little Birdie," he snarls quietly, and then reaches through the bars to stroke the side of my face with the back of his hand. I recoil almost instantly, blushing under his touch, my mouth going dry. My mind clouds over slightly, but I pull myself together, clearing my throat and glaring into his bright eyes, filling my gaze with contempt.

"Don't touch me." I force the words out through my constricted throat, breathing heavily through my nose. I can smell him with each breath, a sharp musky scent, laced with some kind of cologne and a hint of sweat. If evil had a smell, this would be it. I continue breathing in his scent, frozen to the spot, staring into his eyes.

I notice his pupils dilate for a split second, before he blinks and regains his usual reserved, cold composure. Flashing me one last glare, he turns on his heel and leaves, his footsteps echoing down the hall, slowly fading.

Well this could have gone worse…A lot worse. At least I'm still alive. Guess I should try to get some sleep. I walk over to the bed – not that you could call it a bed – in the far right corner, and lie down, trying to process the many events of the last couple of days. With a groan, I rub my wrists and close my eyes, exhausted from the last twenty four hours.

I can feel myself drifting off, so I give in, falling into an unpleasant sleep.

* * *

"Wake up, Sky Knight!" A black-booted foot kicks me hard in the ribs. I gasp in pain, clutching my sides as I curl up on the dirty ground.

"Please, stop." I plead with the tall figure looming over me as he kicks me again, this time his foot connecting with my shins, protecting my upper body.

"Get Up!" His voice is cold and harsh on my ears.

Not wanting to be booted again, I jump to my feet as quickly as I can, wincing in pain and clutching my sides tightly, shaking.

"Why are you treating me like this?" I breathe in a quivering whisper.

"Shut up, Sky Knight!"

I feel the sharp smack of pain as a gloved hand connects with the left side of my face. I cry out in shock and clutch my hand to my cheek as my eyes water. I fall silent immediately, my eyes darting around the dim, grubby cell.

This is not the way that I imagined waking up. Sometime during the night, I must have fallen out of bed to end up on the ground. I heave small timid breaths, my ribs burning with every one I take. I blink the tears from my eyes and stare at Dark Ace; his eyes full of command, his mouth set in an irritated line. I avert my gaze quickly, and spot Master Cyclonis standing on the other side of the bars.

Taking me off guard, Dark Ace steps behind me, and grasping my hair at the nape of my neck, forces me forward, closer to the bars – closer to Cyclonis. A pained gasps escapes my lips and I wince, but do not pull away.

"Dear Phoenix," Cyclonis smirks at me. "Why are you here?"

"Why do you think?" I reply, lacing my voice with acerbity. Bad move. Dark Ace pulls me around to face him and slaps me hard again, before turning me back around to face Cyclonis.

"Answer the question, little Birdie," he whispers roughly, his lips brushing my ear.

"I came here because I want to become a Talon Commander," I reply quickly without hesitation. Cyclonis' smirk turns to a scowl for a split second and Dark Ace pulls my hair tighter, pushing my head forward. My face connects with the bars, and I am sure that my eyebrow splits open.

"Why are you _really_ here, Sky Knight?" Cyclonis asks, her voice a dangerous whisper.

I am stunned from my head colliding with the bars, but I regain my clarity and reply. "I came here because I want to become a talon Commander," I repeat, trying not to let my voice quiver.

"I don't think we will get anything else out of her. Dark Ace." Cyclonis waves her hand and Dark Ace pulls my head back, throwing me to the ground.

Unexpectedly, his foot connects with my gut, winding me. I curl up, trying to breathe as he kicks me again. I feel the trickle of blood down my face – confirmation that my eyebrow is in fact cut open. Bending down, he grabs my hair once more and yanks hard, pulling me to my feet.

"If you do not tell us why you are really here, this…" he pauses for a moment, running his free hand down my face, my neck, stopping just short of my left breast, "…This will continue."

Still trying to gasp for breath, I attempt to pull away from his touch, but am met with another backhand across my face. I taste blood in my mouth, and feel it running down from my lip, down my chin, dripping to the floor. Finally my breathing goes back, to normal, and I blink the tears from my eyes.

"You know why I am here," I whisper, the taste of blood growing stronger, making me want to gag.

"No, I don't little Birdie, that is why I am going to keep beating the shit out of you until you tell us," Dark Ace growls, leaning in close to my face, his breath wafting over me. I glare into his eyes, something in them telling me that his heart isn't quite in this.

"My answer will not change, no matter how much pain you are willing to inflict upon me," I choke out.

He lets go of my hair, and pushes me against the wall, a hand at my throat. I glance out the corner of my eye and spot Cyclonis watching with delight. My blood begins to boil and my anger threatens to rip out of me. Before I can stop it, my energy flares up and I blast Dark Ace to the other side of the cell, although at the cost of the most excruciating pain I have ever felt in my entire life. I drop to the floor, screaming and writhing, it feels like I am being electrocuted, burnt, whipped, sliced, kicked, hit, stabbed and choked all at the same time. My bones feel like they are being snapped, poison fire runs through my veins, I can't breathe, I am about to pass out from the agony.

As the pain subsides, I lay on the ground heaving deep shuddering breaths, as burning tears escape my eyes. I make no attempt to move off the floor as Dark Ace recovers from the blast and strides back over to me, a look of pure contempt upon his face. He leans down and pulls me too my feet again, my body tingling and shaking all over.

"Why the fuck are you here?" he bellows, his voice hurting my ears.

"To become a Talon Commander," I reply in a hoarse whisper.

He slaps me, but after the pain I have just experienced, it feels like nothing but a soft caress. I do not even wince this time. I stare into his crimson eyes, begging him to hit me some more, feed the darkness that lives within the depths of my soul. His brow furrows slightly and he lets me go, gazing back, somewhat confused, then rage takes over his expression.

"Stop fucking with me, Sky Knight. Tell the truth!" he yells deafeningly.

"I've told you. Just fucking believe me!" I yell back, refusing to back down anymore. _I will never sell out my plan_. My breath comes in huge shudders, racking me from head to toe, but I continue to stand my ground, willing to face the pain again if I need to. I wipe my mouth with the back of my right hand, smearing blood across my face. "I don't know what you want to hear me say, but no matter how long you stay here beating my ass you're not going to hear it," I say in a low, husky voice.

"We are the ones responsible for the death of everything on your home Terra. How do you expect us to believe that you want to join Cyclonia after what we have taken from you?" He asks, his voice a low growl, matching my own.

"I don't expect you to believe me, but I am not going to back down from you, Dark Ace. You can keep this up if you wish; it isn't going to change the fact that I will become a Talon Commander."

I can only hope that my words are believable enough, because honestly, I do not feel like being beat to death in a Cyclonian prison cell. I gaze at him, challenging him, and his expression changes ever so slightly. Walking away from me, he leaves the cell and whispers something to Cyclonis, who nods.

"Dark Ace has suggested that you may have had enough for now, is he right in assuming so?" Cyclonis asks raising her eyebrows at me.

"Oh, by all means, keep beating the shit out of me, I can take a whole lot more pain than you think," I reply, half-angry, half-sarcastic. Cyclonis scowls at me then turns to Dark Ace and says something that I can't quite make out.

He nods his head and says, "Yes, Master."

"I will not see you again until you are let out of this cell, Phoenix. Do not prove me wrong, Dark Ace." With one last glower at me, Cyclonis retreats down the corridor, her boot heels clicking on the stone floor, gradually fading away.

Dark Ace enters my cell once more and strides over to me. I take an instinctive step backwards, away from him and he rolls his eyes at me. Grabbing my arm, he leads me over to the bed, and makes me sit before leaving the cell and disappearing out of sight for a moment or two. He returns holding a ceramic bowl and a hand towel. Sitting down on the bed beside me, he lets out what I swear to be a sigh.

"Just so you know, I do not necessarily like to hit women. I'm more or less against it, but I have to follow my orders," he says, his voice somewhat monotone.

"I don't want your explanation or sympathy, Talon," I mutter icily, refusing to look at him.

"Very well, but let me get you cleaned up." I flinch as he brings the hand towel to my face, not wanting him to touch me. "Sit still, Sky Knight, or this will be a whole lot more painful than it should be," he growls.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, thinking of my happy place as he begins to dab away the blood from my face.

"That will do," he mutters when he has finished cleaning the last of the cuts on my face. Gathering up the bowl and towel, he heads out of the cell – closing and locking the door behind him - and disappears completely, not returning to make a smartarse remark or anything.

Trembling slightly, I lie down, trying to put this entire ordeal to the side. Maybe Cyclonis will believe me eventually, but until then, I'll just have to stay in this damn prison. Heaving a sigh, I cover my face with my hands and let a few tears run down my face.

Maybe Aerrow was right about not coming to this place alone.

* * *

**It's getting exciting now, isn't? I desperately hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and I shall update again as soon as I can. Until then, please review!**


	25. Insanity

**I hope this chapter doesn't confuse anyone, it is kind of set over about 15 days, and it's mainly Phoenix going a little bit crazy. Enjoy :D**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five

I think it has been three days since I came to Cyclonia; I cannot rightly tell from being locked up in this dingy little cell. There is a tiny barred window at the top of the wall at the back – big enough to let a small amount of light in, but too small to tell whether it's day or night. Yesterday Cyclonis and Dark Ace paid me another visit. It is safe to say that the bruising to my face and ribs is most likely permanent now. It hurts to even breathe; I think my ribs may be fractured or broken. That is not even the worst part. This cell that I am in, not only does it not let me use my powers without excruciating pain, but it plays games with my head. The longer I am in here, the worse my mental state is becoming. Every now and then, a nosy Talon will taunt me like a damn animal, but I cannot let it get to me. I have to stay strong, make Cyclonis believe me at all costs. I am not sure if either Dark Ace or Cyclonis is aware, but the Talon who frequents the dungeons, and is in charge of feeding the prisoners, is holding out on me, he will neither give me a morsel of food, nor a sip of water. The hunger, I can deal with, but the thirst is driving me crazy. I feel like a vampire who cannot find a victim.

I am weak from the few beatings I have received and the food I haven't. The only thing I can do is lie down on this so-called bed and wait. If I can just imagine my happy place, I can get through most of the day or night, or whatever it is.

Standing up, I walk over to the bars, and then pace back to the far wall, trying to keep myself occupied. Every now and then I will hear something odd, something from what I perceive to be a memory, but I know is just this cell playing head games with me. I shake my head and sit back down on the bed, leaning against the wall. I try to run my hand through my hair, but I do not succeed; it is too knotted and dirty, caked with my own blood and dirt. My clothes are stained, and I smell awful – if I had a choice between a shower or food, I would take the shower.

I think it is night, so I lie down and try to relax, being careful not to bump my sides. I sigh and close my eyes, willing myself not to give in, to not break down and cry like a lost child. Eventually this torture will be worth it.

* * *

My eyes flutter open groggily and the taste of dried blood is strong in my mouth, and the scent in my nose. The Dark Ace stopped cleaning me up after beatings when I fought back and nearly broke his nose - that stunt cost me my consciousness for a good few hours – so now I am just covered head to toe in dried blood.

Sitting up, I rub my eyes gently, and try to stretch without hurting myself. According to the noises that I can hear through the window, I would say it is about midday or thereabouts. My stomach makes a strange groaning sound, accompanied by a sharp pain, but I ignore it, listening carefully to the footsteps that are approaching my cell. Taking as deep a breath as I can, I prepare myself for what most likely will be another brutal ass kicking.

As the footsteps grow louder and closer, my stomach does back-flips. Finally, he comes into view, but only him, no Cyclonis, which I think strange. He unlocks the cell door and strides in, stopping before me.

"You look like shit," Dark Ace states, his voice nonplussed.

"No worse than you on a regular day basis, Talon," I croak back, my voice so hoarse it is barely a whisper.

"Touché." He rolls his eyes and pulls me to my feet. He then proceeds to look over me, prodding my ribs with his index finger, but stops when I wince and try to struggle away. "Hold still, little Birdie, I'm just checking to see if anything's broken," he snarls, grabbing hold of my left wrist firmly.

I inhale sharply through my nose and the scent of blood is overpowering. I glare at Dark Ace as he continues poking and prodding my body.

"What, you never got to play doctor when you were a kid?" I ask sardonically.

He says nothing, but pokes me rather hard in one of the more tender spots on my body. I wince slightly, but do not move, willing to let him have his fun before probably beating me again. He lets go, seemingly satisfied that nothing is broken and leaves the cell, only to return with a dodgy looking med kit, a ceramic bowl filled with warm water and a small hand towel.

"Sit," he commands.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I take a seat on the bed. "Why do you even do this if you're just going to beat the shit out me again anyway?" I ask, my voice contemptuous.

"There's to be no more beating. I have managed to persuade Master Cyclonis to not order me beat you, don't make me regret that decision," he growls, his voice low and rough.

He begins to clean the blood off me where he can, being relatively careful in the more damaged areas. A giggle nearly escapes my lips when my eyes fall upon his nose; it is still slightly swollen, but the bruising around his eyes has faded away completely. _I should have hit him harder._

This man is so unexpected, one minute he is beating the shit out of me, the next he his caring for me like a child. If this cell does not turn me insane, then his actions will, I think I might even feel a little bad when I kill him. I look him right in the eyes and maintain eye contact, silently letting him know that I am not scared of him. I keep my expression completely blank while he wipes away the layer of dried blood from my face.

Soon the water in the ceramic bowl is dirty and bloody and the hand towel is almost completely red – at least my face is clean. Dark Ace places the towel and bowl on the floor and reaches into his pocket. Pulling out a small mirror, he holds it out to me.

"Here," he mutters. I hesitantly take it and gaze at my reflection. Goose bumps cover me as I look over my beaten and bruised features. The cut on my right eyebrow is scabbing over, my bottom lip is split and swollen, my cheeks are red and bruised and both of my eyes are black. I quickly glance at my hair - matted with blood and dirt - and quickly thrust the mirror back into Dark Ace's hands, not wanting to look at myself any longer. Surprisingly enough, my nose is not broken, but it has been hit enough times and equally hard to bleed out every time – actually, I am surprised that nothing is broken at all, just very badly bruised.

I swallow and turn away from Dark Ace, a sick, angry, guilty feeling taking over me. How could someone do this to another human? Why have I been _letting_ him do this to me? Why the fuck doesn't Cyclonis do her own dirty work? I stand up abruptly, ignoring the smarting pain in my sides and pace to the opposite wall, turning on my heel to face the man still seated on the bed.

"If you're quite done, then leave me be," I mutter, my words constricting in my throat. Turning around, I face the corner and wrap my arms around myself, hanging my head down and trying to block out the delusion of friendly voices caused by the cell.

As Dark Ace Stands, I hear the creaking of the bed, his footsteps, then the door clicking closed and being locked. I do not turn away from the corner until the footsteps fade away completely, then return to the bed, sitting slowly and put my head into my hands, sighing heavily.

Aerrow would die if he saw me like this, he must never find out what happened here.

* * *

Eight days – I am guessing – I have been locked in this cell. Eight long days I have been deprived of food and mostly sleep. Eight days I have had to endure delusions. Eight fucking days – five of which I have been beaten senseless. I may not be able to take much more of this; I am ready to go home…

Sitting up on the bed, my back against the rough stone wall and my knees pulled up to my chest with my chin resting on them, I let out a sigh and close my eyes for a moment. I am not sure what time it is, but I would guess around midnight, and I cannot sleep. I am not sure if it is because I am scared to sleep, or if it is because of the dream that I have every damn night. Either way, there is not a whole lot for me to do here, except sit and think, and think and sit, maybe pace around in circles occasionally.

Heaving another sigh, I let my legs fall flat and slide down the bed a little bit, so that I am half lying, half sitting. The pain in my ribs has faded, but I am left with nasty bruises, but overall, I am fine – physically. Emotionally, now that's a completely different story. For one, the voices I hear every now and then are just plain annoying, for the simple fact that I know they are not there. I remember Cyclonis making a comment about my mental strength only a day or two ago. _You have no idea, bitch; my mind could run circles around you._

"Alright, maybe I am going a little bit insane," I mutter to myself quietly. A hint of a smile tugs at my lips, and I lean my head back, trying to relax my body.

I sit back, trying to relax for I don't know how long, when I hear distant footsteps, and rather loud voices. They sound drunk and I hear one – or both – trip over, crashing into something. Swearing loudly, they continue to walk towards my cell. I see them approaching, so I act cool, not wanting to attract their attention. No use – they see me and walk up, close to the bars.

"Hey, you're that Sky Knight that got 'er Terra blown up by Cyclonis ain't ya?" One of them slurs loudly.

I roll my eyes and continue to sit in silence. This aggravates them, and they start to slur incomprehensible words at me.

"Oi, girlie! D'ya wanna see what a Talons like in the sack? I bet it'll be better than any Sky Knight you've ever 'ad!" the second Talon guffaws loudly.

_They will go away, or pass out eventually, just ignore them,_ I tell myself.

"D'yu know how to talk, Sky Knight? Or does a bog howler got ya tongue?"

"Yeah! Maybe she prefers bog 'owlers."

_Keep calm and just ignore them._

"Maybe we can loosen up 'er tongue if we gets the keys," one of them suggests, struggling to a straight face.

"That migh' be some idea ya got there," replies the other.

The first Talon produces a set of keys from his pocket and shakes them through the bars, making them jingle.

_This might be amusing_, I think to myself as I slide off the bed and walk slowly over to them. The Talon holding the keys pulls his arm out quickly as I approach.

"That got ya 'attention, didn't it, lovely?" he chuckles at me. "I could pull somefin else outta me pants if ya'd like."

I roll my eyes and clear my throat. "I seriously doubt that there is anything at all for you pull out of your pants, Talon, unless it's you head," I say nonchalantly.

My statement angers him, so he spits through the bars, narrowly missing me.

"You're just a little whore, ain't ya?" he growls, baring his teeth. "Well you'll get what's comin' to ya, ya little cock-tease."

His words make me feel sick, and right now, I am thankful for the bars separating us. "Whatever I may get, I am quite sure that it will be better than being harassed by two drunk Talons who smell of cheap whiskey," I retort, trying to keep my voice clear and level.

"I was gunna be nice to you, lovely, let you outta ya cage, but now you've gone and pissed me off," he mutters drunkenly, holding the keys up to his face.

I laugh half-humourlessly. "For a moment there, I thought your stupidity was exceeded by your verbosity. It seems that I had that the wrong way around. You're a complete idiot. Might I suggest that you make sure the next person you hassle knows the difference between a key for a cell and a key for a switchblade."

First, their expression clouds over, completely confused, then they turn angry.

"We've got a smart one 'ere, it would seem," the first Talon mutters to the other.

"She can't be too smart, she's got 'erself all locked up," the second replies, a drunken smile plastered to his face.

"Oh, yeah, ya right. Not a bright little Sky Knight, are ya?"

_Time to have a little fun._ "I might not be smart, but maybe this is what I had planned," I murmur conspiratorially, and smirk. The Talons look at each other, then shrug.

"Ya can't fool us; no Sky Knight wants to get caught. You know what 'appens to the pretty ones like yeself here?" the second Talon slurs through the bars at me.

I am somewhat curious to hear what shit is about to spill from their mouths so I roll my eyes and reply, "No, please enlighten me."

They both chuckle and stare at me.

"The pretty ones like yeself go to us 'ere Talons. We've 'ad some fun with pretties like you," Talon number one sneers menacingly. A chill runs up my spine and I swallow back the bile that is rising in my throat.

"I doubt you could have any fun whatsoever with a woman, I feel that you are _lacking_ in a certain department," I retort disgustedly.

This angers Talon number one, and he swipes his arm through the bars, making a grab from me. I step back quickly out of his reach.

"I don't think we'll get this one, her is a smart one," Talon number two mutters, more to himself, disappointment evident on his scared face.

"Nah, I thinks ya right, mate. I reckon The Dark Ace is gunna get 'er. He gets all the smart ones, not that there 'as been any before this one right 'ere," The first Talon chortles. The second one joins in laughing and they both sneer at me.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I am quite positive that The Dark Ace has better things to do than wasting his time having his way with women against their will," I say, narrowing my eyes at the two, still laughing Talons.

"You wait and see, lovely. But maybe if we's lucky, we might 'ave a fun time with ya after all," Talon one snarls, while the other nods enthusiastically.

_That's it, enough of this shit._ "You are both unbelievably pathetic excuses of men. I would much rather have The Dark Ace force himself upon me than be thrown to you dogs," I hiss venomously.

They both start shouting incomprehensibly, and pointing. Over their racket, I can hear another pair of footsteps approaching.

_Fucking brilliant, another one_, I think and let out a sigh.

"_What the fuck is all this noise?_!" I hear an authoritive voice shout.

The two Talons fall silent and blanch when they turn towards the source of the new voice.

"C-commander! We were j-just…" The first Talon stammers and his voice fades away.

"_What is the reason for this? Explain yourselves at once_!"

The footsteps stop in front of the bars, directly opposite from where I am standing. My gaze falls upon him; Tall, handsome, squared shoulders, his stance screaming 'authority', his raven black hair settling around his face, his mouth set in an outraged line, and his crimson eyes burning furiously with rage. The Dark Ace is extremely pissed off.

"S-sir, we were…were just checking to…to see if the Sky Knight was—" The Dark Ace backhands the Talon hard, - the sound echoing around the stone walls - cutting his sentence short.

"Actually, I don't care. You're drunk. Now fuck off before I kill you were you stand," he threatens quietly.

"Y-yes sir!" the Talons stutter in unison before turning on their heels, and stumbling off quickly.

Dark Ace turns towards me, stepping close to the bars, his expression back to the usual impassive, emotionless state. "I hope they were not troubling you too much," he says in a clipped tone.

"Not at all," I reply as politely as possible, "Although, I did have half a mind to kill them both." I think I see the corners of his mouth twitch when I say those words. My throat goes dry as he gazes down at me.

A scowl forms and his eyebrows knit together. "I am surprised you didn't kill them. Some of the things they were saying were disgusting."

"Nothing that I couldn't handle," I mutter hoarsely, and then add on, "The bars kept them safe, moreover, it would be terribly rude to kill a man under someone else's command." I try to sound as politely sweet as I can muster, faking a smile.

"Does your squadron know you have left them to come here?" Dark Ace asks suspiciously.

"First of all, they were not _my_ squadron, Aerrow is their Sky Knight. Secondly, I think it would have been a monumental mistake to tell them that I was leaving to become a Talon Commander. I was just along for the ride after you killed my Squadron. Do you remember that, Ace?" I ask the last four words with silk in my voice.

I see a flicker of something in his eyes, and I assume, that yes, he remembers that occasion quite fondly. I have to summon all my inner strength to not blast through the bars and throttle him.

_Now that would just be stupid. _

_Shut up brain, the pain would be worth it feel my hands around his neck._

"I do remember something like that. Was a shame, really. Your Squadron would have made great Talons, you kept them very well disciplined," he says quietly, smirking.

I feel bile rising in my throat, but I keep my composure. _I cannot give anything away, even if it means acting nonplussed about my Squadron; there is time for tears later_, I tell myself.

"I would bet on them preferring to be dead, they weren't quite partial to the idea of evil," I reply, deadpan.

"But you are?" Dark Ace asks, his voice sultry and smooth as velvet.

I suppress an unwelcome shudder at his tone, taking a deep measured breath. "Does it really surprise you? I have no home, no friends or family left, where else is there for me to go?"

"You had the Storm Hawks, didn't you?" He raises an eyebrow at me.

"I did, yes. But that would have never worked out. You see, I'm not one for taking orders from another Sky Knight," I lie.

"So you would rather take orders from the ones responsible for destroying all you loved?"

"Now that you mention it, no, not really. It's ironic, isn't it?" I ask, leaning against the bars.

"Indeed. I would as far to say a little _too_ ironic," he replies, regarding me suspiciously and leans his face in close to the bars – to me. I can feel his breath on my face, hot and sweet.

_Don't puke, Phoenix, stand your ground._

"You understand that at any given time, if I wanted to, I could blast these bars away and walk right on out of here," I state, somehow resisting the instinct to back away from this horrid man.

"That is correct. Alas, there would be a great deal of pain if you tried," he replies, smiling through the bars, from the thought of me screaming in pain.

"But I could do it. So, why have I not attempted to escape this place? Do you not trust me, Ace?" I ask silkily, pressing my face against the bars, looking right into his eyes, hoping mine hold something of a smouldering look and not a death threat.

I swear on every Life you have ever taken, I will kill you, Dark Ace. I will rip your heart out while it's still beating to show you just how black it is before you die, you fucker.

I somehow resist the urge to reach through the bars and try to get him right here. _That would endanger the mission, be patient._

"You really do want to join Cyclonis, don't you?" He smirks and places his hand over mine, holding onto the bars, either side of my face.

"No, I just like to hand out in this cell here," I reply sarcastically, hoping that he lets go. _No, bad Talon, no touching. Talking, sure, whatever tickles your fancy, but do not touch me, you disgusting, evil, pathetic, evil, traitorous coward of a man. You make me sick_, I am yelling internally, all the while keeping my face the same.

"Sarcasm? There is not a lot of that around these parts."

"There are not a lot of brain cells around these parts either, it would seem," I state coolly.

"I have to agree with on that," he replies with what I swear to be a slight chuckle. The corners of my mouth pick up involuntarily, and I am shocked.

_What the hell? This bastard just made me smile._ I should be holding a blade to his throat, not casually chatting. Although, I cannot help but be fascinated by him in this moment. I cannot put my finger on it exactly as to why though. Maybe since he is talking, I might be able to get a bit of information out of him.

_Maybe it's a trap. Maybe he wants _you_ to give _him_ information. _That is not going to happen, not even their worst torture will ever make me talk.

"How much longer am I to be held in here?" I ask, hoping that he answers me.

"For as long as Master Cyclonis sees fit. We need to know that you can be trusted before further action," he replies formally, standing straight again, although leaving his hands to rest upon mine.

Stop touching me!

I sigh heavily, god knows how long I am to be imprisoned in this hellhole.

_At least he told you the formalities._

_He's still evil and I hate him to death. Oh if only looks could kill, I would throw one his way._ Jeez, even in this place, my mind is still overactive, thinking up new ways to kill this man.

"There has to be something I can do to get the hell out of here."

"Well, you _could_ blast these bars away and walk out," he shrugs nonchalantly.

"Oh, I'm sure you master would be thrilled if I did that. But if I did do that, it would defeat the purpose of coming here in the first place."

"I don't think you will be behind these bars for much longer. If you have not broken out in a week's time, then I will suggest to Master Cyclonis that you are truly here to become a Cyclonian."

_Wait, what? He would actually do that?_ I shouldn't get my hopes up, this man just cannot be trusted, but for now I will give him the benefit of the doubt. "I'm quite surprised, Dark Ace. You _can_ act like a gentleman. Here I was thinking that you would be completely indifferent to the sight of a Sky Knight behind Cyclonian prison bars." Another involuntary smile tugs at my lips.

_Get a grip! This cell plays mind games, remember? He _is _indifferent, he doesn't care whether you live or die here, and stop smiling at him!_

"I am no gentleman, little Birdie, I just see history repeating itself. I can't help but feel the slightest prick of sympathy for you." His eyes glaze over for a split second, before blinking a regaining his composure.

What? The Dark Ace just let his composure slip, in front of me no less, sure it was only for a split second, but…what?

_Mind games, remember? You probably just imagined his pretty eyes glazing over, this man holds no sympathy for you._

"History repeating itself?" I ask quietly, curious.

_Oh, I get it. He's trying to win your trust by making you think this happened to him too. Don't let this fucker fool you! _

For some reason, I can't seemed to agree with that thought. Maybe he _is_ telling the truth.

"Yes. I think it is time for bed, it's late," he says, suddenly turning glacial as he turns to walk away.

"This happened to you too, didn't it?" I whisper through the bars, now talking to his back.

He looks over his shoulder, a semblance of a smile on his lips and I swear I spot a hint of sadness in his eyes. "Goodnight, Phoenix," he says quietly and begins to walk away.

"Goodnight…Ace," I whisper after him, but he has already disappeared down the corridor, his footsteps echoing quietly before fading into the silence.

Well, slap me silly and call me sally, apparently The Dark Ace _does_ have emotions.

I stride over to my bed and flop down, making it creak noisily. That evil shell of a man had to endure this too?

"Maybe why he's such a mean bastard," I mutter to myself.

I must admit, him saying that he feels sympathetic took me off guard; he relishes the thought of murdering my squadron, yet on the other hand, sympathizes for me because I'm locked in here.

_What the fuck did they do to him in here? What are they going to do to _me?

The thought sends trembling shudders through me. Maybe I'm just overthinking it, they probably won't do anything worse than what I have received already, besides, he said he will try to get me out of here within a week.

Trying to get comfortable, I slowly drift off into a restless sleep.

* * *

If I had my sky journal with me, I would probably write something like: _The days are long and getting longer. I am weak from beatings and lack of food. I am a complete emotional wreck, although I cannot afford to show it, I must stay strong. _However, I do not have my journal, so talking to myself will just have to do.

The days are in fact, getting longer – blurring together. It has been so hard to sleep lately. I am still reeling from my conversation with The Dark Ace a few days ago. Oh so many things going on in my head. The longer I am in this cell, the more powerful the delusions are becoming. Yesterday I actually hallucinated…and then passed out. It's not every day that your dead parents show up in Cyclonia to have a chat. _Oh, who am I kidding? I am a complete mess, I can't keep trying to make jokes, it's not working at all. _

I stand up off my bed and begin pacing, trying and failing to block out the voices that are whispering around me.

"Go away, I know this is just a delusion," I mutter aloud, hoping it will work. Of course, it doesn't. I pace back to my bed and slam down onto it, heaving a shuddering sigh.

* * *

For nearly two entire weeks, I have been locked up in this dingy cell. It feels as if it is getting smaller with each passing day. There is nothing to keep me sane here, maybe it would be worth the pain just to blast these bars to kingdom come and stroll on out of this dump. My temper is a hell of a lot shorter now, I think I know why The Dark Ace has a sliver of sympathy for me. If I have to spend any longer in here, I won't be able to stop myself from blasting these bars away and killing any Talon that gets in my way. Just earlier today, I nearly did just that, because of some smartass Talon making sexist jokes about me.

This place does more than mess with my head, I thought it was bad a few days ago, but now…now I am really feeling it. I wish I was back on the Condor with Aerrow and the others.

The delusions are so bad that just last night I thought I was back with the Storm Hawks. When the hallucination wore off I nearly broke down completely. _Someone, please get me out of here. _

I sigh heavily, and leaning against the stone wall, slowly slide down to the floor so that I and parallel to the bars. Putting my head in my hands, an uninvited sob escapes my lips, and I take yet another shuddering breath. Try as I might, I just cannot hold it in anymore, another sob racks through me tears begin to fall from my eyes. Letting my emotions do their thing, I just sit here, sobbing into my hands, huge bone shaking sobs.

After what seems like hours of crying, I hear boots stomping towards my cell. I hastily dash the tears from my face, but they just keep coming. The footsteps stop directly out the front of my cell. I peek up from my position on the floor to see The Dark Ace peering through the bars. Attempting to hold the tears at bay, I jump up off the floor and walk slowly over to him.

"Shit, Phoenix," he mutters, a strange emotion in his voice and on his face.

"What?" I ask quietly, afraid that I might have angered him somehow.

"Hang on, I'm getting you out of this fucking cell, right now," he mutters quickly, something like rage in his tone. Reaching into his pocket, he produces a message crystal. A small holographic screen appears above the crystal and Dark Ace talks into it. "Master Cyclonis, I believe that Phoenix is ready to be let out of her cell."

I hear Cyclonis' voice reply. "You believe that, do you, Dark Ace? And why is that" she asks quietly, menacingly.

"She has not made any attempt to escape or made threats against either of us or any other Commanders. I believe that she is quite ready for training, Master," he replies without hesitation or fear.

"Very well. I shall trust your judgement, do not make a fool out of my kind nature, Dark Ace, or you will feel my wrath," she whispers menacingly.

"Yes Master." Dark Ace bows his head before shutting off the crystal and pocketing it.

"You're letting me out," I choke out quietly between sobs.

"Yes. By the looks of it, you're about to strangle yourself with your bed sheets," he mutters coolly, not giving any emotion away. Reaching into his pocket again, he produces a set of keys that jungle lightly as they are pulled free. With one swift move, he places them in the lock and twists them with a slight flourish of his wrist.

The sound of the lock clicking open is the sweetest melody I have ever heard. Pulling the door open, Dark Ace gestures for me to walk out. Like a captive animal about to be released back into the wild, I take a tentative step forward.

Finally, I am out. _I'm out!_ Tears anew begin to fall, tears of gratitude.

"Thank you," I whisper, forcing the words out of my constricted throat.

"You're quite welcome," he replies nonplussed.

I think my hatred for this man has decreased infinitesimally, and in the spur of the moment, without thinking, my body propels me forwards, and I throw my arms around him, nearly knocking both of us off balance. A second after I realize what I've just done. I step back, completely shocked, and feeling foolish.

"That was quite unexpected," Dark Ace mutters, standing there looking lost.

"Sorry," I mumble, staring down at my feet, feeling my cheeks flush.

"It's fine…" He scratches his head for a second and clears his throat. "I wouldn't want you to strangle yourself with your bed sheets, you're no use to Master Cyclonis dead or insane. Another day or two and you would have done something stupid," he says, regaining his composure.

I look up and attempt a small smile in reply.

"Come. Let's get you cleaned and fed, you've become far too skinny, and you need your strength for the next two months. The initiation process for becoming a Talon Commander is quite tiresome and draining," he states and begins to walk down the corridor. I follow, silently, trying to keep up with his pace.

This man is human, with emotions. I must find out what made him this way, and maybe if he is willing to atone for his crimes and hold remorse, I may let him live.

_What? No, he must die, that is the only way he _can _atone for his wrongdoings, _that small, dark voice screeches in the back of my mind. I try to ignore it, but it is right. I cannot get to know him on any kind of personal friendly level, I am going to make him pay, and hopefully within six months the Atmos will be free from these fucked up people for good.

We have reached the end of the corridor and begin ascending the spiral stairs. Our footfalls echoes quietly as we make our way up.

_Only a few more months._

* * *

**_So? _What have you to say about this chapter? I would love some reviews guys! I hope you are all looking forward to the next chapter :)**


	26. Why Is He Right?

**Long-ish chapter this one. I hope you enjoy it. Review guys, it would be much appreciated.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six

After a long needed shower and meal, I am waiting for The Dark Ace in the small private dining room just down the hall from the Throne room.

"We will begin your training now. Come," he says brusquely. I stand up and follow him out into the training yard. It's nearly empty except for a few Talons bludging about. The sun is low in the sky, so I'm guessing it is late in the afternoon. We walk to the far right corner of the training yard.

"We'll start with the basics," he states.

"I know how to fight. Sky Knight, remember?" I say pointing to myself.

"I'm aware of that," he replies sighing, "This is Talon training. You've never battled a Sky Knight. They are predictable, but shifty. You need to be able to tell when they're about to use their signature attack; that can sometimes be quite devastating, depending on their level of concentration at the time."

"It can't be that hard," I say, rather childishly.

"You wonder why so many lower ranking Talons get defeated? Because they have the same attitude as you," he growls, apparently annoyed.

_Shut up Phoenix, just listen to him_.

"It's easy enough for you to defeat anyone who crosses your path."

"I know how to fight. Dark Ace, remember?" he says pointing to himself as I did earlier.

"Fair point."

"We will be practicing with these," he says as he throws me two pieces of wood, resembling energy blades. He picks up a wooden sword for himself. I give him a questioning glance.

"So one of us doesn't end up in the hospital bay. I don't underestimate your powers or skills, little Birdie. I would prefer to leave this training session in one piece."

_He actually said that? I'm flattered, Talon._

"Um, thanks. Do you have any pointers?" I ask, taking the opportunity.

"Not at this point. We will battle as we would if you were fighting me any other time," Dark Ace replies.

"Ok. Shall we start?"

"Yes. Assume battle stance," he commands. I do as I'm told and take up my Battle stance, my 'blades' at the ready, "On the count of three. Don't hold back. Just because you're a woman, doesn't mean I am going to go easy on you."

_Yeah I already know that, Talon, you made it quite clear the first week I was here. _"I've no intentions of holding back," I say, narrowing my eyes._ Maybe I can crush his windpipe with these._

"Good. One."

I ready the wooden blades.

"Two."

_Get on with it Talon!_

"Three."

I lunge forward quickly, aiming for his torso. Dark Ace blocks my attack and counters, swinging for my left leg. I jump out of the way, swinging around to bring my blade upon his back. Failure. His lightning fast reflexes allow him to block just before I make contact. With both of his hands occupying the wooden sword, blocking my two smaller wooden blades, he leaves himself open for an attack. I take the opportunity and jab at his stomach, successfully hitting him. He steps back, obviously winded.

"Good form," he breathes, still winded, "Again. This time, defensive only."

"Understood," I reply. There's no way that would happen in a real battle with him, he must be going easy on me.

This time he's the one to make the first move. He lunges towards me. I block without hesitation. Lunge, block, lunge block. This goes on for at least half an hour.

* * *

"Enough. I think that concludes your training for today. You did better than I expected. Being in that cell hasn't weakened your spirit."

"Another two days and I wouldn't have a spirit," I reply, shuddering at the thought of that confinement.

"Well you're out now. The master has informed me that you are my responsibility."

"It could be worse," I shrug at him.

"That means, wherever I go, you must follow and vice versa. I have to keep both eyes on you at all times, report on your progress. I hope you don't hate me too much, because you're going to have to spend all of your time in my presence."

"I can handle that. I don't think I hate you as much as I did about a week ago. It doesn't mean I want to be your friend, but you let me out of that cell. I am completely thankful to you for that." _And I might be able to learn a thing or two about you, which will make it easier for me to kill you later._

"Good. I'll show you the sleeping quarters. You get a room to yourself. If any Talons bother you, you have my permission to hurt them as much as you wish, Just don't kill them," he says.

"Understood," I reply.

"Come," he commands. He turns to walk and I follow him.

* * *

We reach the sleeping quarters; the room is drab and grey. There is a double bed in the far right corner and a small desk on the opposite side. It's not much, but it's a lot more comforting than a Cyclonian prison cell.

"This will be your room until you go through the initiation process of becoming a Talon Commander. I will be in the room opposite." A quick flash of annoyance crosses his face when he says he will be in the room opposite.

I want to make a smartass remark about him not sleeping in luxury because of me, but hold my tongue, knowing full well that I do not want to cross this man when he is irritated, especially in my condition at the moment.

"When do I get my energy blades back?" I ask.

"When the master sees fit. I don't know when that will be. If you're lucky you will get them back during your initiation."

"I guess that's fair," I say with a sigh.

"Oh, and always remember to lock your door at night. Most of these men haven't had the touch of a woman for a very long time and they wouldn't think twice about hurting you."

"I thought you were to be around twenty-four-seven?"

"I have a key, should I need to enter here."

"Who's to say that you're not like the other men around here?" I raise an eyebrow at him.

"I may be evil, but having my way with women against their will doesn't quite float my boat, Phoenix," Dark Ace says, appearing to be stung by such an accusation.

"Just making sure," I say holding my hands up semi-apologetically.

"You should rest. We will be doing a full day of training tomorrow, and I think that I'm right in assuming you have not slept properly since being here."

I walk over to the bed and sit down, removing my shoes and socks. I look out the tiny window and see the sun setting, silhouetting the towers of Cyclonia.

"I'll be turning in now, if you've everything you need?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Goodnight."

"Sleep well. Remember, full day training tomorrow. I want you to be well rested."

"Don't worry, I fully intend to get as much sleep as possible," I reply.

"Lock this door as soon as I'm out, Phoenix," he demands sternly, a hint of something like protectiveness hanging and lingering in his tone for a quick moment.

"I will. See you in the morning," I reply sleepily, wanting him out of here.

He turns and walks out the door, closing it behind him. I make sure it is locked, and then climb into bed.

_This is definitely more comfortable than a prison cot,_ I think to myself. Slowly, I drift off to sleep; silently thanking the man I hate the most for freeing me.

* * *

I awake with a start, sitting bolt upright.

_Stupid dream._

It is still dark outside. I blink in the obscurity, trying to see. There's a sound coming from outside my door. I jump out of bed, creeping slowly to the sound. I feel helpless without my weapons; I have to use my Energy Casting, but my powers have diminished from not using them for so long. A weak aura surrounds me, lighting up the room ever so slightly. I stand in the middle of the room, just as my door swings open. I'm about to blast whoever it is, when they talk.

"Oh good, you're awake," says the Dark Ace as he strides into my room, looking fresh and ready for the day.

"Oh, it's just you," I reply, letting out a semi-relieved sigh.

"Yes, who else were you expecting?"

"Well, I heard noises outside my door, I got startled," I reply feeling a little embarrassed. I let my Aura dissipate and we stand in silence for a moment.

"Come. You will eat breakfast and get ready for training."

He makes to leave the room, I follow.

After breakfast, we are heading once more to the training field. The sun has only just begun to rise when we reach the far corner.

"You went easy on me yesterday when you said you wouldn't. Why?" I ask, breaking the silence.

"Indeed, I did go easy on you," he mutters, glancing down at me briefly, "I just needed to know how much strength you had, I didn't want you holding back."

"How considerate of you," I mumble.

"You seem to have gained a fraction of you strength back overnight," Dark Ace states, eyeing me.

"It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do," I reply, bending down to pick up the wooden training blades from the crate, also throwing Dark Ace the sword. Catching it, he walks closer and kicks the crate out of the way and I take up my stance.

"You need to regain all of your strength, fast. So here is what we are going to do." He pauses for a moment to stretch out, cracking his neck slightly. "Each training session will become more intense, but I won't push you over your limit. You will need to fight fiercely, with speed and above all else, without mercy. Therefore, every time we are out here, we are enemies, you will have to ground me, make me yield. If you cannot manage to beat me each day then you are not recovering fast enough. I expect you to be able to defeat me at the end of your training when I am holding nothing back; if you cannot do that then you have no chance of becoming a Talon Commander. Clear?"

I nod in reply, my still sleepy brain trying to process all his words.

Beat him: got it.

No mercy: done.

"Assume offensive battle stance, you will be attacking first to wear yourself down; I need to know how much you can take before I begin fighting back."

I nod again, switching my stance to offensive. On his signal, I lunge forward, swinging my left blade to distract him, and then jabbing with my right one. Unsurprisingly, he sees right through my distraction technique and blocks with easy grace, raising the wooden sword in time, just before my right blade makes contact with his underjaw. I swing up with my left blade, knocking his sword out of my way. He leans back just as my blade touches him, and smirks.

Gritting my teeth, I continue slashing and thrusting, occasionally spinning around to take a shot at his back. I just cannot seem to land one attack, which frustrates me immensely. Dark Ace only infuriates me more by mocking me with that stupid smirk every time he counters.

_Screw this!_ Taking him completely off guard, I kick out; my foot connects with his sternum, knocking him off his feet and nearly sends the wooden sword flying from his hand. Before he can get to his feet, I step over him, kick the sword away and press my right blade to his windpipe, kneeling with one knee on his chest.

"Yield," I growl from the back of my throat, willing myself not to crush his windpipe right here.

He stays put for a moment, a sly grin playing about his lips before he sighs, and bridges, pushing me off him, and pinning me, somehow grabbing the sword in the process and holding it to my throat.

"You will need to try better than that, little Birdie," he breaths, his warm, sweet breath washing over my face. I try not to gag, and attempt to push him off me, but he won't budge. I can feel most of his body weight pressing me into the dirty ground, my chest rising and falling rapidly. This is too close, far too close for him to be near me.

"Get off me," I whisper. My voice comes out sounding husky and ragged without my meaning to, and I am shocked at the tone. I take a deep breath and swallow hard, scowling at his returning smirk.

"You're getting carried away, we are not to battle properly until you have worn yourself down," he drawls, staring down at me.

"Get off of me," I say again, my voice still husky.

"Are you going to behave, little Birdie?" he asks rather condescendingly.

I glare back at him, my breathing becoming rapid and my heart pounding against my ribcage. _Why is my body reacting to him this way? I hold no attraction for him at all._ I just hope he doesn't notice.

I have to part my lips to accommodate my already rapid breathing, and not only do I just catch his scent, but I can taste him on my tongue - a sweet and bitter taste that clouds my mind. I turn my head away, into the dirt, and inhale the scent of the earth, blocking out the enthralling smell of Dark Ace. My senses return and I concentrate my energy on the parts of my body where Dark Ace is making contact. A weak fiery-orange aura pulses out slightly and I project my energy onto him, burning him. He jumps up lightning fast and scowls at me, patting himself down – checking for a trace of flames probably. I jump up off the ground, with the help of my energy, and brush myself off, keeping my eyes trained on Dark Ace, my expression glacial.

"I would appreciate it if you kept yourself _off_ of me," I hiss venomously, wiping the dirt from my face before gathering up the wooden training blades and throwing them back in the crate.

"What are you doing?" Dark Ace asks, cocking an eyebrow at the crate.

"What does it look like? I'm packing up, training is finished for today," I declare, shooting him another death stare.

"I don't think so, little Birdie," he says quietly, calmly.

"Don't you? Well that's just too bad, because I'm finished for the day," I retort.

"Training is over when I say it is over," he snarls, taking a few steps towards me.

Instinctively, I take a step back, but continue my piercing gaze into his eyes. "What makes you think that I'm going to follow your orders and be your puppet, Dark Ace?"

"Because that is what is happening, you are my puppet, and I, your master. You will do as you are told, no questions," he states, becoming irritated.

I narrow my eyes at him and inhale sharply through my nose before replying. "I am quite sure that delusions of grandeur are a sign of bipolar or schizophrenia. You should get yourself checked out. You are most certainly not my master, and I shall not do your bidding without question. One day, I will take your place; Cyclonis will throw you out like yesterday's trash. You will be a nobody, _Ace_," I breath defiantly, watching as his eyes turn to molten lava, looking like they want to burn a hole straight through me.

"Try me, girl. I can always kill you and make it look like a tragic accident. I dare you to keep using that insolent tongue," he growls, his voice appearing calm, but I can detect the threat in his silky tone.

"Do not talk to me as if I am an insolent youth then, puppet master," I reply, my voice as equally silky and deadly as his.

I see the corners of his mouth twitch, and his gaze softens slightly. Shaking my head, I continue to stare icily, waiting for him to say something. The silence stretches on between us, and we continue to stare each other down, not moving or speaking, just staring.

Finally, after what seems like an hour of standing here, Dark Ace talks. "You are going to make a great Talon, little Birdie. The fact that you just _will not_ back down from me…No man has the balls to do what you do, or say to me. I do not necessarily want to admit it, but your determination and stubbornness is almost to be admired - although, most would say it is stupid to even think about standing up to one such as myself. You are one stupidly brave woman. Now we need to get back to training."

_What? First he threatens to kill me, and then he compliments me for standing my ground? Okay, he is definitely bipolar._

"What are you waiting for? Pick up your weapons." He points to the crate and I roll my eyes, bending down and taking out the wooden energy blades again.

"I made you yield, why should we continue training today?" I ask testily.

"But you did not defeat me. As I recall, I had you at quite a disadvantage. I think you are worn down enough. Let's see if you can bring me down when I _am _fighting back."

"I've done it before," I mutter, remembering the first and only battle I fought against him with The Storm Hawks.

"That was merely a technicality, I would have killed you if the master didn't want you alive," Dark Ace replies, narrowing his eyes.

"I would have killed _you_ if I wasn't following Aerrow's orders at the time, Talon," I hiss back.

"Are you constantly going to try and one up me every time?" he asks, rolling his eyes.

I say nothing, words will get me nowhere with this idiot. Readying my wooden blades, I inhale slowly, waiting for Dark Ace to get on with it.

_Why full day training? I can barely stand half an hour of this disgusting man._

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at myself – I have got to stop this childishness.

Okay, The Dark Ace – I hate him, yes, but I have to put all those feelings aside for a little while, just until I can kill him and get the hell out of here.

Taking up my stance, I wait for Dark Ace to make the first move, taking note of his stance, any sign of facial expressions and every twitch of a muscle. He lunges and I counter, knocking the wooden sword away from me and thrusting with my right wooden blade.

* * *

Hours have passed; bruises have occurred and on more than one occasion, I have found myself struck dumb by the pure skill and grace with which Dark Ace handles his weapon. It's too bad that he chose this life over that of one with pure heart. What ever happened to make him this way? There is no longer a question about it, I must find out why he is the way he is. Maybe I can bring this obscured man into the light.

"Focus, little Birdie!" Dark Ace scolds, snapping me out of my reverie just in time to block the downward slash he is executing.

At least my reflexes are still good. My heart is pounding hard; I don't think I can keep this up for much longer. I am guessing the time is around noon, so I am just going to have to either beg for mercy or knock this bastard off his feet now. I decide with the latter.

I begin sidestepping, Dark Ace watching me carefully, no doubt aware of my plan. We circle each other, keeping it tight. With a sudden rush of energy and a flash, I am swiping my wooden blades all over the place, with deadly quick precision, knocking his sword away each time he attempts to block or counter. With the help of my Energy Casting, I am able to overpower him, but only just. When I feel my sudden burst of energy diminishing, I take the opportunity to sweep my leg under Dark Ace, knocking his feet from under him. Without hesitation, I kick his wooden sword away, and kneel over him – my legs either side of his midsection – and place my right blade at his throat. I notice the familiar look in his eye, and realize his plan. Just as he tried to bridge, I twist my body and bring my left blade down upon his knee cap, causing him to let out a pained hiss.

"Not this time, Talon," I growl form the back of my throat.

He makes a low agitated growl in the back of his throat, and stares up at me, his eyes burning into my skin. I am aware of my chest rising and falling rapidly as I take small short breaths through my barely open mouth. I blink a few times and press the blade firmly against his throat.

"Yield," I breathe, my voice doing that weird husky, velvet thing again. I clear my throat and glare at Dark Ace, who seems to have laughter dancing behind his eyes. "Yield," I repeat, forcing my tone to sound authoritive and cold.

"It appears you have won," he states, a look of admiration flitting across his face.

"It would appear so," I reply in a small voice.

Our eyes are locked, glaring at each other, and for a second I forget that I have him pinned beneath me.

"You going to let me up any time soon, little Birdie?" he asks, an amused expression upon his face.

Before I can reply, there is a voice calling from somewhere across the training yard.

"Looks like the Commander is finally getting some!" a Talon yells, and a few others roil with laughter.

I turn my upper body to the right and spot the Talon and his chums, all pointing and laughing. Without as much as a thought, I send a blast of energy towards them, knocking every one of them onto the ground, curled up in pain. I stand up off The Dark Ace, and smooth my hands over my clothes, brushing off some dirt before offering my hand to Dark Ace and helping him to his feet.

He nods his head in a gesture of thanks and turns to the injured Talons, still curled on the ground. He gestures for me to follow him, and begins to stride over to them. Barely halfway across the yard, we reach them and Dark Ace laughs down at them.

"Afternoon men. Do you know who this is?" he asks, holding out his hand in my direction.

They are too injured to even reply, so Dark Ace goes on. "This young woman here is going to be my second in command within a few short months. Phoenix here does not take well to rude fools, as you have just experienced. If you wish to stay permanently injured, then by all means, make every sexual joke under the sun that involves her. If you need reminding of who Commands you, I will be happy to jog your memory."

Well, it looks like I have more in common with Dark Ace than I originally thought. It seems he does not like to be the object of crass remarks either.

"We apologize, Commander," one of them chokes out, wincing as the makes to stand.

"I am assigning you all with new duties. You are to clean my hanger bay, along with the public Talon hanger bay, then you are to clean the common dining hall, the kitchen, the bathrooms, and do the housekeeping for the unit to which you belong."

"Yes Sir," they reply in unison.

"Good. And if you give this woman any trouble, it might be the last thing you do. As you just witnessed she defeated me in training only moments ago. Do not cross her," Dark Ace threatens.

I give him a sceptical glance as he orders the Talons away.

"What was that all about?" I ask as we head back to our area of the training yard.

"Talons are quite a disrespectful bunch, I have to keep them in line, and there is no better way to do that than strike the fear of a powerful woman into them," he replies, a sign of amusement on his face.

"I only beat you because you were going easy on me," I mutter, a little more than slightly agitated.

"For most of the day, yes that is true."

"What do you mean?" I ask, placing my hands on my hips.

"It means that, to have any chance of not being injured, I had to fight back without restraint. To put it simply, you beat me completely."

"I don't believe you," I say, narrowing my eyes, waiting for the punch line.

"Believe what you want, it doesn't change the fact that you had me, and in a real battle, I would be dead now," he shrugs nonchalantly.

"You're lying. I know you're just trying to give me some incentive for training," I mutter, annoyed that he is patronizing me like this.

"You are one difficult woman to convince. I just admitted that you could have killed me, and you shrug it off, what more do you want me say?" he asks, clearly exasperated.

I study him for a few moments. He is not lying. Not a trace of a falsehood can be found in either his words or expression. "Does that mean we can stop training now?"

"No, we must continue your preparation. There will be one or two missions Master Cyclonis will send us on for your training. However, I think for today we can call it in," Dark Ace declares.

"You're going easy on me again," I say with an involuntary chuckle in my words. _I'm being friendly because he is_, I assure myself.

"Don't make me change my mind," he states, raising an eyebrow.

I shut my mouth and we pack up the training blades and kick the crate back to where it belongs before heading back inside.

"Are you hungry?" Dark Ace asks as we approach his private dining room.

I think about his question for a moment, and my stomach grumbles. "Yeah, famished," I reply.

"Good. Lunch time."

He steers me through the door to the dining room and I take a seat at the rustic dark wood table. Dark Ace sits opposite and reaches over to activate a message crystal. He talks into it, but I don't take notice of what he says, I am too interested in the strange carvings that line the edge of the table. My fingers unconsciously stroke some of the symbols and the wood is cool and smooth under my skin. Some of the carvings look eerily familiar, but I can't for the life of me remember where I might have seen them before. I put it down to de-ja vu and continue my examination of the symbols. It surprises me that such a man could own something so beautiful. My fingers continue to run over the symbols, until they hit something in their way. I look up and realize that it is Dark Ace's hand. I pull mine away, instantly going bright red. I catch his gaze and he looks questioningly at me.

"I was just admiring the artwork on here," I mumble, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dark Ace looks away as if nothing happened. _Because nothing happened._ I shake my head and put my hands in my lap, waiting for the cook to bring our food.

Minutes later, the cook appears and places our food on the table before disappearing again. I pick up my fork and prod the salad – chicken Caesar, I think. I do not start to eat until Dark Ace does, confirming that it is safe. Of course, it tastes delicious. We eat in silence, and when we finish, the silence continues to stretch on until someone comes and clears our plates away.

I sit, fidgeting with my hands in my lap, not sure what to do – do I leave and head back to my room? Do I have to stay here and wait for him to order me to do something?

Clearing my throat, I glance around, my eyes occasionally falling over Dark Ace as he sits patiently. What is he waiting for?

_Maybe he's seeing how uncomfortable he can make me._

"So, are we just going to sit in here for the rest of the day, or do you have a plan?" I ask, refusing to give in to his mind games.

"I'm thinking, little Birdie," he replies, not looking at me.

"Well don't hurt yourself, Talon," I mumble. He rolls his eyes and turns to face me.

"I _was_ thinking," He says, pauses and goes on, "About sleeping arrangements. You have quite a smart mouth, and now I am thinking of changing my mind about putting a word in to Master Cyclonis for you. You see, I was going to be kind enough as to move you to the sleeping quarters that shall be yours after your initiation. But apparently, you're quite fond of Talon quarters."

Bastard! Me and my smart mouth, damn it. He is probably just trying to get me to bite. "If I may be excused for my smartass remark, I simply cannot help it, it's a natural reflex when I'm in close proximity to you, Dark Ace," I say, my tone slightly laced acerbity.

"You are really something else, little Birdie. I cannot blame you for having that safety mechanism. I shall put a word in to Master Cyclonis," he ripostes.

I am shocked, why is he just acting so…human? It's freaking me out. "Why are you being so nice to me, I am quite concerned. "

"I'm not being nice, I'm being pragmatic. We will be working together, so it is only smart that we should be at the least on each other's good side. Other than that, I don't particularly care for you," Dark Ace states nonplussed.

I am more than surprised to feel a soupçon upset about his last remark.

_Well of course he doesn't care, he's an evil bastard, and you don't necessarily favour him either. _The annoying voice is back again. Is that my conscience? Whatever it is, it is right. Squaring my shoulders, I plaster a hollow smile on my face and look directly at him.

"Oh, I wouldn't expect you to. But to be honest, I thought we were becoming great friends," I say, projecting my sarcasm onto him.

He grins and shakes his head. "We'll see. But for now, I'm just your babysitter until you are initiated."

He's considering becoming my friend? Oh this is just too perfect! I cannot wait to see the look in his eye when his only friend betrays him.

_So you will do to him what he did to Lightning Strike?_ That dark voice hisses from the back of my mind.

_That would make me exactly like him… Am I already turning into one of them?_

I shake my head to rid the thought. Barely three weeks in this dump and I'm already losing my mind. I will never be like him, if he thinks that I am his friend, then I cannot be held accountable. The fine thread of sanity is weaker than I thought, but I will fight to hell and back to keep mine.

"What is going through your head right now, little birdie?" Dark Ace asks, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Oh? Nothing, just…this place. How ever have you kept your sanity in a place like this?" I beseech, furrowing my brows at him.

His shoulders rise with a solitary chuckle, and then he responds. "Keep busy."

"Oh. So no special trick, just keeping busy?"

"Yep, that's about it," he says shrugging.

"Well, I should kiss my sanity goodbye then," I mutter.

"Let's go. I suppose I should report your remarkable progress to Master Cyclonis. She will be pleased."

Dark Ace stands up, his chair scraping across the stone floor. With a sigh, I follow him out of the dining room and down the corridor to the Throne room.

It doesn't take long, and we are walking down the magnificent corridor towards the large double black doors. He reefs them open and ushers me through before closing them behind us. I hesitantly step forward, and Dark Ace sighs, grasping my wrist and pulling me along behind him until we are standing in front of the throne. Cyclonis is nowhere to be seen and I look around, expecting her to appear out of thin air.

"Wait here for a second," Dark Ace says, then walks towards a door to the left side of the throne in the wall behind.

I wait patiently while Dark Ace knocks once and then enters, closing the door behind him. It's not long until he emerges and strides back over to me, taking a spot at my right and standing straight with his hands behind him.

"Master Cyclonis will be with us shortly."

I nod my head in reply and continue to wait, tapping my left foot and blowing out a breath through pursed lips. I glance up to see Dark Ace looking at me out of the corner of his eye and a smirk playing about his lips.

"What so funny?" I ask quietly.

"You, little Birdie. Quite impatient, quite temperamental, quite annoying. The list goes on," he replies, his smirk growing wider.

"I could say the same for you, Talon," I mutter.

Finally I spot Cyclonis heading our way. I straighten up and square my shoulders, looking directly at her.

"Dark Ace. Do we have a problem with Phoenix?" Cyclonis asks, her eyes flickering over me momentarily.

"Not at all, Master. Quite the opposite, actually," Dark Ace replies, without hesitation.

"Oh? What brings you here?"

"Phoenix has displayed remarkable skills, her recovery is phenomenal. She beat me at my full potential just today, although I will continue her training."

"Would you please stop talking about me as if I am not here?" I interject agitatedly. "Yeah, I beat him on my second day of being free from that cell, big whoop, I have advantages. Training will continue, blah, blah, blah. The reason Dark Ace brought me in here is to suggest to you that I may possibly be moved to new sleeping quarters. I agree, one such as myself should not be left to reside with lowly Talons."

Cyclonis raises her eyebrows at me, possibly amused. "Is that right?"

"Indeed, Master Cyclonis, although, Phoenix was rather blunt about it, that was my intention," Dark Ace explains coolly.

Cyclonis regards the both of us for a moment before focusing her gaze solely upon me. "You defeated Dark Ace in your training today?"

"Yes, is it that hard to believe?" I reply.

"Some may believe so. I _am _impressed with your recovery. To be honest, Phoenix, I was not expecting you to be at your full potential for at least another week or two. You will do fine here." She smiles fiendishly then turns to Dark Ace. "Take dear Phoenix to her new sleeping quarters."

"Yes, Master."

With a quick bow, Dark ace grabs my arm and leads me out of the throne room and back down the corridor.

"Seeing as you will be my second in command, you will be sharing my sleeping quarters," Dark Ace states.

I stop dead in my tracks. "What?" I ask, shocked.

He laughs when he sees my expression. "I have a double suite, two bedrooms," he elaborates, when he is satisfied with my level of horror.

"Oh…good," I mutter, relief more than evident in my tone.

"But only one bathroom, I'm afraid," he says, his eyes alight with humour at my displeasure.

"Wonderful," I mutter petulantly.

We continue walking in silence, our footfalls the only sound. We reach the end of the corridor and turn right, walk down another hall until we reach a flight of stairs. We ascend the stairs and turn left when we reach the landing, walking down yet another long corridor with no visible doors. We reach the very end and are standing in front of two large doors, much like the throne room, but red. Dark Ace produces a key and unlocks them, pushing them open and ushering me inside.

I step in and I'm sure my jaw hits the floor. I have to say that this is damn well luxurious. The bed is the first thing I notice. It is huge, bigger than a king-size. _Why would one man need a bed that damn big? _It's beautiful, a four-poster with a canopy, all dark rosewood. The posts are carved with exquisite craftsmanship, the canopy has what I would explain as a crown or something and is filled with what appears to be gold. The bedding itself is all black and dark red, and I am assuming silk or something. The curtains are black, and something like gossamer.

My eyes continue to survey the room, spotting a black changing screen, an ornately carved writing desk with a high-backed chair that looks to be bound in red velvet. I see two other doors, one on the right side of the room opposite the bed, the same as the doors we just came through, only smaller. The door on the left side of the room is much, much smaller and a dark-brown colour. I notice a few windows; big arches with thick blackout curtains pulled to each side letting in the light.

"Your room is through here," Dark Ace says and takes hold of my wrist, leading me to the small red double doors and ushering me through.

I step through. The room is nearly as big as Dark Ace's. The bed is the same, only a fraction smaller. I have my own writing desk, and a chair not as impressive as the other but still looks comfortable. A lovely dark-wood wardrobe stands inconspicuously in the far right corner parallel with my bed. There are two bedside tables placed snugly next to each side of the bed, the one on the left with an old looking vase and an illumination crystal sitting in a lamp. The windows and curtains are the same. The only thing that is missing in here is a changing screen, but it's not like I'm going to walk through Dark Ace's bedroom practically naked to get changed.

"So, does this accommodation live up to your Sky Knight standards?" Dark Ace asks pompously.

I turn to him, my eyebrows raised. "You should know better than anyone that Sky Knights don't hold standards for such materialism. I think this is beyond luxury, and to be honest, I feel rather intimidated by it," I explain.

"I expected you would. But it beats those claustrophobic cupboards that you call rooms on the Condor, does it not?"

"I guess," I mumble, scanning the room once more. _Please do not bring the Storm Hawks into this conversation, it's hard enough knowing that they may hate me for what I've done, let alone talking about them._

"Out of curiosity, what room did they put you up in on the Condor?" he asks out of the blue.

I eye him suspiciously, but answer him. "Third room down form the Captain's on the left of the hall. Why do you ask?"

"You don't say?" A contemplative look crosses his face, replaced by semi-amusement.

"What's funny?" I ask, pursing my lips.

"That room, it was the one with the patched hole just right of the window?"

"Yes, it was. I hope you are not going all 'I-remember-the-good-old-days' on me," I mutter, tilting my head to the side.

"That was my room," he says simply, a smirk upon his face at my expression.

"What?" I have slept where _he_ has? In the same bed? Of course, everything I do has to revolve around something this asshole has done.

"Have I shocked you, little Birdie?"

"No. No you have not. I can hardly say that I am surprised, I could have had any of the other spare rooms, but I happened to choose the one that you of all people had, and then betrayed The Storm Hawks to join Cyclonia. I don't believe in coincidences either."

Evaluating me for a moment, he steps closer and I have to tilt my head back to keep eye contact. "I see right through you, little Birdie. You are not as tough as you make out to be. Inside, you are just a heartbroken little girl with nowhere to go. All the smartass comments you make at my expense; they are not who you are. Your eyes can't hide the fear you feel when you are in my presence. I make your skin crawl just from talking. Yet, you persist to uphold that nonchalant exterior, this veneer, to try to make you more acceptable to your peers. You have no self-esteem. The only things you have are your powers and if it were not for them, you would be nothing but another pathetic Sky Knight. So stop with this, and be who you are. You are exactly like me," he snarls, glowering at me.

My breath is coming in short strange heaves, and I am unaware of the tears that burn in eyes until I blink them from my eyes.

"I think it best if you leave me alone," I breath, turning away and hugging myself. Dark Ace leaves and closes the door behind him.

_Why is he right?_

* * *

**The Dark Ace can be so mean, can't he? Well, I want to make him meaner! I shall update again soonish. I hope you lot will love what happens XD **


	27. Dangerous Games

**Here is another chapter! I would like to say thank you to my few reviewers for your continued support! :D Read, Enjoy & Review**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Weeks pass, every day is the same – wake up, eat breakfast, train all day, come back to my room, cry, sleep, dream, wake up. I am not insane yet, so I am guessing that is a good thing.

My daily routine is not one to be envied, but it could definitely be worse. Each day it seems Dark Ace is fighting less, or I am getting stronger. He has not defeated me once. They have no idea what they are doing, I have been able to study his fighting style, and I have noticed the tiniest of patterns that he himself may not even be aware of. He is training me into a weapon and has absolutely no idea that I am going to use everything I have against him and Cyclonis.

"Look out, little Birdie!" Dark Ace scolds as he grabs my arm and pulls me out of the way of a Switchblade that is hurtling down the path we were about to cross. "Where is your head at today? You need to pull yourself together."

"Yeah, sorry. There are just a few things on my mind at the moment," I mutter as we continue walking back to our sleeping quarters.

The air is chilly, even though the long sleeves of my new – disgusting – Talon uniform are supposed to be warm. I look just like a regular Talon and I hate it. Dark Ace informed me last week sometime that we will both receive new uniforms after my initiation. For some reason, Cyclonis wants us to have the same design, but I will not question it.

As we step through the doors to the sleeping quarters, I head straight for my room to retrieve my pyjamas and towel before heading to the bathroom.

Turning on the shower, I let the water run warm before stepping in and letting it fall over me, relaxing my sore muscles. I let out a sigh, lean against the cool tiled wall of the shower, and close my eyes. Exhausted would be too small a word for what I feel right now, and all I want to do is be home, curled up on the couch with Aerrow.

_Aerrow…_ My heart feels like it wants to escape through my throat at the mere thought of his name. If I get out of this alive the first thing I will say when I see him will be 'yes'. No thinking about it, I know what I want now. He is my last chance of happiness, and I will fight to keep it that way. I don't care how friendly Dark Ace gets, he must die.

Shaking my head I reach for the body wash and lather it all over myself, cleaning the dirt and smell of Dark Ace off my skin.

_I hate smelling like him_, I think to myself as I wash the soap off. I turn the shower off and step out, grabbing my towel and drying myself quickly, throwing on my pale green satin nightie. It falls just above me knees and has lace lining the hem. It feels nice after spending all day in a Talon uniform. Hanging my towel on the rack, I reach for my robe.

_Damn it!_ Of course I left it in my room. Shuddering, I place my dirty clothes in the laundry basket and proceed to exit the bathroom. I open the door a crack and look around, not wanting Dark Ace to see me in my nightie. I can't see him, so I take a tentative step out and make a beeline for my room.

"Forget something?"

I stop dead, my cheeks flushing. Dark Ace is sitting at the desk in his high-backed red velvet chair – holding my robe! I march over and snatch it out of his hands, and put it on, fastening the sash tightly.

"You must have dropped it on your way to the bathroom, I just picked it up off the floor," he shrugs.

"Thank you," I hiss, shooting him a glacial stare.

Raising his eyebrows, he sits back in the chair and crosses his legs, saying nothing. With one last glare, I retreat to my bedroom and flop down on my bed, curling up on my side preparing for my 'night-time cry'. I shuffle around and kick the duvet down before pulling it up over myself and fussing with my pillows to get comfortable. I go through all the things in my mind, deciding what I should cry about tonight, and settle on what Dark Ace said to me the first time I was in this room. It is not as if I like weeping into my pillow pathetically, it just helps me fall asleep in this dump of a place.

Just as I am about to let a few tears trickle down my face, there is a knock on my door.

_Great…what the hell does he want?_

I take a deep breath and widen my eyes for a moment, dispersing of the semi-formed tears before getting out of bed and walking to the door. Opening it a crack, I see Dark Ace waiting patiently. "Can I help you?" I ask, my voice monotone.

"You haven't eaten dinner. Come, dine with me," he commands, rather than asks.

I eye him for a moment before opening the door a little more. "I'm not hungry," I reply, but my stomach growls loudly as I say it.

"Now you have no choice. You should eat. Come."

I roll my eyes, slide my slippers on and follow Dark Ace, noticing that he too is showered and in his pyjamas.

When we reach the dining room, there are already two plates with freshly cooked meals waiting on the table. My stomach grumbles louder when I catch the smell.

_Steak!_ Damn these luxurious bastards, where ever did they get steak? And how could anyone besides Master Cyclonis afford this? No wonder Dark Ace chose this life. Leading me to the table, Dark Ace gestures for me to sit – I do. He takes a seat and begins eating. I follow suit, picking up my knife and fork and slicing into the meat. My tastebuds explode when it hits my tongue. _This is damn well delicious._

We eat in silence, until Dark Ace asks if I would like a drink.

"You mean like water or juice or something right?" I ask, my fork midway to my mouth.

"Well, we do have a supply of alcoholic beverages if you'd prefer," he responds, his eyes shining at my confusion.

"Oh no, water will be fine thanks," I mumble, continuing to eat. Dark Ace summons the cook guy and demands rather than asks him to bring us drinks. He scurries away and returns with a glass of water for me and a tumbler of some amber liquid for Dark Ace, and places them on the table before scurrying away again.

I pick up the glass and take a cold refreshing sip, while eyeing Dark Ace's drink – no doubt some kind of alcohol. He doesn't touch his drink until we're both finished eating, then picks it up and takes a sip.

I continue to eye the glass. "What's that," I ask, inclining my head towards Dark Ace's drink.

"Scotch. Want some?"

"No, I'll pass," I mumble, and stare down at my empty plate. With a small sigh, I stand up and make for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Bed."

Dark Ace drains his glass quickly and stands up, striding over to me. "Let's go then," he says, running a hand through his hair.

I shake my head and continue back down the halls to the bedrooms. When we are inside, I head straight for bed, closing and locking my door behind me. Untying my robe's sash, I let it fall to the floor at the side of my bed before climbing in, deactivating the illumination crystal on the side table. I pull the covers over me and begin my pathetic process of falling asleep.

* * *

"_Hey, Little Birdie, rise and shine!_"

I am roused from my less than refreshing slumber from loud knocking at my bedroom door.

"_Don't make me break the door down to come get you out of bed,_" Dark Ace's muffled voice calls.

I groan and rub the sleep from my eyes, slowly pulling the covers off me and stumbling to the door. I unlock and open it. "Yeah alright, I'm up, calm down, Talon," I mumble through my sleepiness.

"Good. Well, you know the drill. Hurry up and get ready."

I nod and turn away from him to get a fresh uniform, still too tired to even care that he has seen me in my nightie. Sleepily, I haul my ass to the bathroom to have a quick shower.

* * *

"I can't do training today," I mumble, feeling my cheeks flush.

"Why ever not?" Dark Ace asks, tilting his head up questioningly.

"Um…" I fidget slightly and look down at my feet. "Personal reasons," I say in a small voice.

"Please explain," he says exasperatedly.

"Well...Look, I just can't. Not today or…for a few days," I mumble, my cheeks growing more red by the second.

A look of understanding crosses his face. "Oh, you've got your period," he states without shame.

_What?! Did he have to say it?_

I nod and bite my lip looking anywhere but at him. I shuffle my feet slightly and let out a breath.

"Very well. What will you be doing for the length of time that you are in this situation?" he asks with enough respect not to say _that _word.

"I don't know. Hang out with you maybe?" I attempt to joke.

"As you wish," he replies with a shrug of his shoulders and walks over to his desk to pull out a large wooden box.

_I was joking, Talon!_

"Game of chess?"

"Sure."

A tiring game of chess ensues, ending in a stalemate and a cocky grin on Dark Ace's face.

"I don't know why you're smiling, neither of us won," I state, sitting back in my chair gazing at him over my steepled fingers as he twirls a pawn in his.

"You didn't win. Even at the cost of myself neither winning, I would say that is somewhat of a small victory," he smirks.

"Of course." I roll my eyes at him, an involuntary smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"Is that a smile I see, little Birdie?" he asks, a small grin playing about his face.

I shake my head, my smile growing wider. _If only you knew, Talon._ Looking down at the chessboard, I pick up my rook and knock Dark Ace's king over, watching it roll in a semi-circle a few times before coming to a stop. What a fitting metaphor, such a small piece can bring down a king even though neither side has won. _How bitter-sweet._

"What do you normally do when you're not off murdering innocent people?" I ask, bringing my gaze to rest upon his still grinning face.

"What a strange question, it seems as if you are interested in what I do," he replies, eyeing me speculatively.

"Well, not that I particularly care, but seeing as we are more or less living in each other's back pocket, I feel it necessary to take an interest in your hobbies," I shrug nonchalantly.

Dark Ace sits back in his chair and strokes his chin with his thumb and index finger. "I indulge in various things. Most of my time is consumed from running errands for Master Cyclonis. Sometimes I will train new Talon recruits if Ravess or Snipe are indisposed, but otherwise I do not have time for such things unless the Master requests it. Keeping up with your training regime has been occupying a great deal of my time, but Master Cyclonis wishes that you be in peak physical and mental condition for your initiation. When I am not on duty I like enjoy quiet time, right here in my room."

"You're quite formal in addressing my questions," I muse, attempting to break through his cold exterior.

"It is necessary. I do not want you forming some kind of dependency or attachment to me," he replies, something flitting across his face for a split second.

"Oh, believe me, Dark Ace, I have no intention of forming any kind of bond with you, so there is no need for formality all the time. Acting kind is all I ask," I say, a lone chuckle making my chest rise.

"Well, in that case, don't expect any change. I am not a nice man, I don't do kind, little Birdie. Civil, maybe, but not kind," he laughs.

"Well that's a start, I guess," I shrug.

Sighing, I put my hands in my lap and turn my head to the right, gazing out one of the few arch windows. I hate the sky here; I miss the blue of home, the soft clean air, soft breezes. Here the air is thick, and there is no breeze, only isolated gusts of wind, strong enough to nearly blow you away. Another thing about this place I have noticed is that there are no animals here – apart from the Talons. It's a dead Empire with a massive army and one psycho bitch controlling it all, I hope killing her will be enough.

"…So I hope you will be prepared for it. Hey, Little Birdie! Are you even listening to me?" Dark Ace's voice brings my mind back to the now.

"Sorry, what?" I say, shaking my head.

"I wasn't supposed to say anything to you about it, but knowing what your temper is like and how stubborn you are, I am going to forewarn you," he says, leaning forward. "Master Cyclonis will be sending us on your first practice mission in the next week or so to Terra Namor. A certain individual has been ducking the requests of Master Cyclonis, and you are going to have to negotiate with him," Dark Ace says, a sly smile on his lips.

"By negotiate, I take it that you mean I am going to have to beat the shit out of him until he agrees to whatever it is that Master Cyclonis wants?" I say speculatively.

"Indeed. If anything gets out of hand, I will be there of course, but I'm sure you can handle it."

I nod my head. _Terra Namor, it sounds familiar._ "What do you know if this Terra and its inhabitants?" I ask.

"It's an ancient civilization, older than most."

"And what does Cyclonis want from them?"

"That is strictly the Master's business, we are only to acquire their compliance," Dark Ace says, obviously aware of my probing.

"Fair enough. What is the name of this poor sod I'll be beating up?"

"Augustus," he replies in a clipped tone.

"Alright, I'll quit with the questions," I say, sensing his growing agitation.

"If you are interested in learning about Terra Namor, I have I book you can read," Dark Ace states, stretching his arms above his head.

"You read?" I ask almost disbelievingly.

"As a matter of fact, that is a small hobby of mine when I have time to myself," he shrugs.

"I would love to have a look at that book," I say, imitating Dark Ace stretching.

"Very well." He stands up, walks to the far wall of his bedroom to a cabinet next to the bathroom door, and opens it, revealing shelves filled with books. Running his fingers over the spines of the books on the first few shelves, he finds what he was looking for and pulls it out. Dark Ace strides back over and hands me the large book. It's actually quite heavy.

I shift around in my chair, place the book on the desk, opening it, and begin to read.

* * *

"_Hurry up in there, we haven't got all day_," Dark Ace's muffled voice calls from the other side of the bathroom door.

Rolling my eyes, I continue washing my hair. "Just give me a damn minute, I'll be out soon," I call back exasperatedly. This damn man has been rushing me all morning. I get that he is keen to go and beat the living shit out of some poor fool, but I am taking my sweet time.

Stepping out of the shower, I dry myself with my new fluffy towel and get dressed. Today I do not have to wear a Talon uniform. I get to wear normal clothes for a lovely change! I finish drying my hair properly, and then exit the bathroom to where Dark Ace is waiting rather impatiently. He actually looks like a normal person in regular clothes. He is wearing a leather jacket, long-sleeved button down shirt that looks pale blue, a pair of faded grey denim jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. He also doesn't have on that stupid head armour, adding to the normal person look. The only problem I have with what he is wearing is the fact that now we look like one of those colour coding couples.

"Before you say anything, I decided to wear these colours first, Talon," I mutter at the amused smirk on his face.

"I could go change should you so wish?" he teases.

"After you rushing _me_ to get ready all damn morning? I don't think so. Let's just go."

Shrugging, he pushes himself off the wall and follows me out the door, taking the lead when we are halfway down the hall.

"So, the flight to Terra Namor could take anywhere from a day to longer, depending on the weather conditions. We will only be taking my ride, and stopping in at a motel overnight on Terra Mennas. They don't know me there, so I'll think of a story when we get there. And before you ask, I have packed a change of clothes for you because I knew you wouldn't think ahead like that," Dark Ace says.

"Thanks," I say, trying to keep in step with him.

We reach the hanger bay and take our seats on Dark Ace's Switchblade.

"Why are we only taking your ride?" I ask, mostly out of curiosity.

"Convenience, little Birdie," he replies as he starts the Switchblade and prepares for take-off.

The wind makes my hair fly out behind me and I wish I had of put it up…and brought a damn brush. Oh well, I'll just have to deal with it.

I let my mind wander for a good amount of time, but reign my thoughts in when they begin turning against me. It's so cold, and I forgot to wear a jacket, my V-neck button down, short-sleeved shirt isn't great at keeping me warm. The sun still isn't up, but the cold snap is starting and I regret not bringing my jacket.

"Want to take over?" Dark Ace calls over his shoulder and slows down a little.

I shrug my shoulders and reply. "Sure."

He stands up and I shuffle forward, taking the controls while he sits behind me, do doubt using me as a windbreaker or something. I would probably be reluctant to take control if he had not made me fly it previously, but I miss flying, so I'm somewhat grateful for the opportunity. I glance at the instrument panel and check our speed and bearings. Once again, I have no idea in which direction I am going, but I'm sure Dark Ace will notify me if I begin heading the wrong way.

The cold is worse in front, and the sun has begun to rise, bringing on the full force of the cold snap. I shiver all over, but keep going, showing no weakness. It's my fault I'm cold and I will not look like an idiot in front of Dark Ace. I just want to get to where we are going and fast.

"Are you cold?" Dark Ace leans forward and asks over the wind.

"I'm fine," I reply determinedly, knowing that if I say yes, he will probably chastise me.

"You sure?" he yells over the increasing wind.

An involuntary wave of shivers washes over me, raising goose bumps everywhere. "I'm fine," I yell back through chattering teeth.

I think I hear an exasperated sigh, and feel Dark Ace shifting around in the seat behind. Suddenly I feel Dark Ace's hands on my arms, then something being draped over my shoulders, and quick as lightning, hands are doing up a button at my neck. I have no time to react whatsoever, so I turn back and glare at Dark Ace, who is now without his leather jacket.

"You're as cold as an icicle, I don't want you falling ill," he says nonchalantly.

I can't exactly be angry with him for that, can I? "Thanks," I reply grudgingly, turning my focus back to flying, feeling warmer already.

"You don't have to worry about my gesture as a friendly one, as much as it would be a great inconvenience if you were to fall ill," he calls indifferently, and I detect that he rolls his eyes at my back.

My composure softens slightly and I relax, realizing that he has a point. I turn my head back to him. "I appreciate this non-friendly gesture, thank you," I say with a half-smile.

"You're most welcome," he replies, returning my half-smile with somewhat of a smirk.

_What are you doing? You cannot become friends with him, it will make it harder to kill him when the time comes!_ The small voice of my conscience screeches in the back of my mind. I am not becoming friends with him…am I?

_No, no I am not becoming his friend._ I repeat the thought like a mantra.

As the day begins, we finally leave Cyclonian airspace and they sky turns a beautiful blue, leaving the bloody orange sky of Cyclonia behind us. I breath in the light, fresh air and a feeling a calm sweeps over me. Yes, this is nice; even with the most feared man in the Atmos sitting behind me, this is a beautiful day.

"Do you feel that?" I call over my shoulder.

"Feel what?" Dark Ace asks, his brows knitting together.

"The peace out here, away from Cyclonia, I feel peaceful, calm!"

"I don't feel a thing. Keep going, Little Birdie, stop getting distracted."

"Mood killer," I mutter under my breath, continuing at a reasonable speed.

* * *

The trip so far has drained me. The sun is now low on the horizon, and the air is beginning to get chilly as twilight begins to fall upon us. We've taken it in turns flying, and now I'm at the controls again. I gave Dark Ace's jacket back to him around midday when we stopped at a small terra for a quick lunch. I try to stifle a yawn, but fail. My eyes water and I sigh, trying not to give in to the tiredness.

Dark Ace leans forward so he doesn't have to yell over the wind. "Do you want me to take over again?" he asks.

I shake my head and look over my right shoulder, "I'll be fine for a bit longer. How much further to Terra Mennas?"

"Quite some time, at least a few more hours. If you become too tired, let me know," he says, still leaning close.

I nod my head, turning back to face the front, growing uncomfortable at the close proximity of his face to mine. I feel him lean back in the seat and I relax, continuing on.

Night has fallen and I am still flying. Bracing myself against the chill of the wind, I press on, determined to make it to Terra Mennas as soon as possible. During this trip, I have realized that having too much pride is useless and won't get me far. If I need something, I am better off just asking instead of refusing help where it is offered. Gritting my teeth I close my eyes for a second before opening them again and turn my head.

"If it isn't an inconvenience to you, could I possibly borrow your jacket again? I'm freezing up front here," I call.

Dark Ace doesn't reply straight away, but scoots forward until he is almost touching me. Bringing his mouth to my ear, he then replies. "Lean back."

"What?"

"Just do it," he commands, rolling his eyes.

I swallow hard and repress a shudder, but do as he says. My back is nestled against his front, and he runs his hands down my nearly frozen arms. Trying not to gag at this closer-than-necessary imminence, I embrace the warmth, but keep getting distracted by his hands running up and down my arms. What's worse, I can feel his hot breath next to my ear, warming my neck.

_Just don't think about, the sooner we land the better. _

A 'few' hours pass, and we've still not reached our destination. I've gotten used to Dark Ace's touch, not to say that I like it, but it isn't as intimidating as it would have been on any other occasion. I yawn widely, and take a deep breath through my nose, trying to stay awake. We will be at Terra Mennas soon, surely. Each time I blink, my eyelids become heavier and harder to open, but Dark Ace insisted that I try to stay awake and fly – lazy bastard.

I yawn again, blinking my eyes frantically to stay awake. Why can't this asshole take over again?

_Because this asshole is keeping you from catching hypothermia_, that little annoying voice scolds. Where does that thing even come from, anyway?

* * *

I'm not sure when, but I somehow fell asleep. As I slowly blink awake, I notice the absence of roaring wind. I don't know where I am, but it's comfy, so I snuggle my face against the soft warmth, and wrap my arms tighter, breathing deeply. Then I catch the scent, that all too familiar scent and awake completely. Dark Ace is holding me, carrying me. My eyes fly open and pull my face away from the crook of his neck and move my arms down to push hard against his chest.

"What are doing? Put me down!" I command angrily.

He sighs exasperatedly, but obliges, placing me on my feet and leaving a steadying hand on my shoulder for a moment for me to catch my balance.

"My apologies for not wanting to wake you and suffer your wrath," he says sardonically.

"You should have just woke me up like a normal person," I hiss, feeling my heart pounding against my ribcage.

Dark Ace rolls his eyes and continues walking across what I recognize now as a parking lot. For some reason I feel bad for biting his head off for no cause. Maybe I should stop being so hard on him, he was only doing what he thought wouldn't piss me off.

_Maybe he should have had the same mindset when Cyclonis ordered him to kill my parents._ No, that is completely logical. This evil son of a bitch partook in the destruction of all I loved; there is no way I'm going to be understanding if he attempts to do something humane for me. He deserves all he gets. What annoys me though, is that I am going to have to be nice to him; otherwise, my cover might be blown. I grit my teeth and catch up to him, falling into step beside him.

_I know what will annoy him. _

"Sorry, I shouldn't have acted like that. Thank you, it was very kind," I say as politely as I can manage. I glance up out of the corner of my eye to see his expression turn confused for a moment, then he regains his usual nonchalant look.

"Let me remind you that I am not a kind person, I was not aiming for kind, nor will I ever _be_ kind. I was being convenient, just forget about it, it will not happen again," he replies belligerently, glaring at me.

_Ha! Am I getting under your skin, Talon?_

"Of course not, Dark Ace. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone that you let your cold, evil exterior slip over a sleepy, defenceless Sky Knight," I say, a sly smile forcing its way onto my lips.

In a flash he is behind me with his sword to my throat. _This again, really?_

"It would be such a tragedy if you were to have a fatal accident, little Birdie," he growls close to my ear.

With a bored sigh, I stand there waiting for him to get over his little tantrum – this has become such a regular occurrence that it doesn't even bother me anymore, except the closeness, that bothers me a little.

"So, because you can't defeat Aerrow in battle, you feel the need to hold a blade to a weaker person's throat?" I test, knowing full well that my comment will infuriate him beyond all that's holy.

"For fuck's sake, I will slice your throat. Don't think that I won't, little Birdie. Keep going, please, I _beg_ you. If I could get rid of you, it will be such a great convenience for me," he snarls menacingly in my ear, holding my waist tightly.

"Oh, put your toy away, Talon," I mutter calmly, rolling my eyes.

Tightening his arm around my waist, he breathes into my ear, "Piss me off again, you won't be so lucky," and then lets me go.

"Feel better now? Got your cold, evil composure back?" I ask, raising my eyebrow at him.

He eyes me hatefully for a second then his expression changes to that of amused frustration. "You're fucking crazy, little Birdie. I could have just killed you," he growls, running a hand through his hair.

"No, if you were ever going to kill me, you would have just done it instead of threatening me all the time. You bite too easily, but I just needed to see if you weren't going all soft and kind," I reply shrugging my shoulders.

I begin walking again, slowly, waiting for the small amount of adrenaline to leave my system.

"Fucking bitch," I hear Dark Ace mutter under his breath as he puts his sword away. I smile to myself - It appears I can get under his skin far more easily than I thought.

"So, what is our story?" I ask as we near the motel.

"Haven't thought of one," Dark ace replies quietly.

"I've got one. Seeing as we've got this matching colour scheme going on, people are going to think we're one of those weird couples who are over happy and that always wear matching clothes," I laugh, knowing that he won't go for the idea.

"That's good enough," he replies.

_What? No, you were supposed to disagree! _

I glare at him from the corner of my eye and see him smirking down at me. He is so on to me, time for a new game.

"Well let's go check in, honey," I say ironically, rolling my eyes.

"Yes, dear," he replies, smirking at my annoyed expression.

The light in the small lobby is dim and the worker looks like he wants to off himself. He looks up and sighs as we enter and approach.

"Can I help you?" he drawls, fixing his glasses.

I glance at Dark Ace who shrugs. I roll my eyes at him and step forward. "Hello, my dear husband and I were looking for a room for the night, would there be any available?" I ask the clerk, smiling when I feel Dark Ace bristle uncomfortably behind me.

"Let me check," the worker says and turns away for a moment.

"Could you check faster, I would like to get to sleep tonight," Dark Ace growls at the clerks back.

I shoot him an icy glare. "Please, just ignore my _Husband_. He is just tired from our long journey," I say to the clerk when he looks at Dark Ace, narrowing his eyes.

"We only have one room available right now, number 106. You're in luck, it's our last queen suite. Bathroom, kitchen et cetera. You will be happy to take it?"

"Yes, that will be fine, thank you," I say, smiling sweetly.

"Name?" he asks as he pulls up some paperwork.

"Um…Amicus," I say quickly, not thinking.

"Wonderful. Now just sign here, and the fee for the night is sixty-five dollars per person."

"Thank you." I sign the paperwork, and turn to Dark Ace who looks at me quizzically. "Don't keep the nice man waiting, _sweetheart_, pay for our room."

A quick expression of annoyance crosses his face, then Dark Ace steps forward, producing his wallet and hands over the fee.

"Thank you, and here's your key. Remember to check out in the morning and return the key. Have a good night folks," the clerk says, passing the key to Dark Ace, who snatches it out of his hands.

I nod my head politely and walk out of the lobby, looking for room one-oh-six.

"This way, _Mrs Amicus_," Dark Ace smirks down at me, knowing that he is getting under my skin, as much as I am getting under his.

"Right behind you, _Mr Amicus_," I reply, following him to our room.

We enter the room and it is nowhere near luxurious as my bedroom in Cyclonia, but it is comforting knowing that.

"You've got the couch tonight, dearest husband," I state without irony, but smiling to myself.

"What have I done to deserve that, dearest wife?" he replies, using the same tone as me.

_Alright, play it, you'll have to mention it sooner or later._

Dragging in a deep breath, I look him squarely in the eye, still playing our little game. "Well, you _did_ kill your in-laws, sweetheart, and that is quite inappropriate behaviour," I say, raising my eyebrows, somehow managing to keep the mood neutral.

Before he can reply, I turn my back and walk towards the bed. I reach out and pull the covers to the side, ready for when I climb in. Stretching my arms above my head, I hear some of my joints crack, and I yawn, wiping my eyes. Just as I am about to crawl into bed, my skin crawls uncomfortably.

"And there is no way I can convince my darling wife to let me come to bed?"

Dark Ace is standing behind me, his mouth at my ear. I resist the urge to turn around and punch him, because I know he is only doing this solely to make me feel uncomfortable.

He wants to play? Fine, I'll play. "I'm afraid not, darling husband. It may take some time to be forgiven," I purr, trying to relax, knowing that if I do, he will give up on trying to make me feel uneasy.

"Not one thing?" he whispers, his voice becoming low. I nearly jump through the roof when an arm snakes around my waist, but I keep still, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of winning this game.

"Not one thing," I acquiesce, my breathing becoming shallow from anxiety.

I feel him move his lips closer to my ear, and a low chuckle reverberates through his chest, into me. For some reason, the sound is soothing and I feel sickened that I think so.

"But, darling, are you forgetting that I, your dearest husband, paid for this room and its facilities?" he whispers, and I detect a smirk in his words.

Damn it, he knows how uneasy I am right now, and he is just not going to stop until I say so. The only thing I can do is flip it on him, make _him_ feel uncomfortable. Swallowing back the bile that threatens to rise in my throat, I take a careful measured breath and relax.

_Time to turn on the charm._ "Well then, by all means, come to bed, _darling_," I breathe, lacing my tone sweetly and leaning into him. It works. I feel his body go rigid and I smile to myself, holding back a snicker.

All of a sudden, the air changes – growing dark and dangerous. The arm that is still around my waist tightens, and then Dark Ace spins me around to face him, holding me tightly against his body. My hands are on his chest, but I don't push myself away, that would mean losing this game. If it gets too much, I can just use my Energy Casting on him.

I narrow my eyes at him, and he just smirks – of course, he's figured out that I'm trying to reverse the situation. Most of the tension leaves my body knowing that he will not try anything. No matter what I do, I will still feel uncomfortable while he is touching me, but if he becomes more uneasy than I, It will be worth it. Letting the smallest smile creep onto my lips, I flex my fingers on his chest and begin to run my hands up to his shoulders, resting either side of his neck.

"Oh, I think you will have to try harder than that, little Birdie," Dark Ace whispers, his voice smooth, completely different from what it normally sounds like.

_I didn't know this game had a difficulty setting_.

"Don't tempt me," I breathe, my voice coming out all low and husky – I hate it when it does that. He wants me to try harder, does he?

Raising an eyebrow, I purse my lips slightly and move my hands to the collar of his shirt before my fingers fumble with the first button, undoing it, all the while my eyes on his. No reaction. I move to the second button, undo it. Still nothing. I reach the third button, but before undoing it, I trace my index finger though the smattering of chest hair. His breathing changes ever so slightly, and his pupils dilate. What will it take for this man to flinch away from me? Fourth button. No change. Fifth. Nothing. Not a single twitch until I get to the sixth and final button.

My fingers graze his bare lower abdomen, causing him to suck in a sharp breath through his teeth. "Gotcha, Talon," I purr, biting my bottom lip to keep from grinning.

He shakes his head and exhales through his nose. His eyes are piercing into mine and they look furious, but not angry. Suddenly, he pulls me in closer, nose to nose and his hot sweet breath washes over me as he pushes his forehead against mine.

"Some games are too dangerous for little Birdies to play," he snarls.

I gaze inquisitively at him for a moment, my heart pounding against my ribcage, wanting to escape. Time seems to have slowed down, or stopped altogether, and every trace of unease leaves my body. I know what he means, and his words hold a foreboding, yet delighting promise.

The look in his eyes, there is something in there, something dangerous, and I know that in this moment, my eyes hold the same look. In this moment, I feel no apprehension. In this moment, a shocking and disturbing realization hits me… This isn't a game anymore, and for one sickening moment that seems to linger in my system, I _want_ him. Right here, right now.

* * *

**Please, please, please tell me what you think of this chapter! Personally, I like it, but the following chapters are somewhat more interesting :)**


	28. Terra Namor

**Another chapter, YAY! Oh, I should probably start warning about swearing and stuff like that, there is going to be a fair bit more than ususal in this and the following chapter. I hope it doesn't put you off too much. R&R :)**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"_Some games are too dangerous for little Birdies to play," he snarls._

* * *

With Dark Ace's forehead firmly against my own, our noses clash together with each ragged breath we pull in and exhale from our lungs. I let my eyes flutter closed for a moment, trying to control this strange, pulling sensation in my chest – as if I am being pulled to him by and invisible force.

_Don't do this!_ The voice of my conscience screams, completely horrified.

"Sometimes I like a little bit of danger, Talon," I breathe and our lips brush against each other, making whatever this feeling is grow stronger and more out of control.

I move my hands up his body, back to his shoulders, and a strangled groan escapes his throat. He shakes his head for a moment then begins to walk us backwards. I feel the bed against the back of my knees and Dark Ace lowers us down, hovering over me, with his arm still around my waist. Glaring dangerously at me, he lowers his face to my neck and runs his nose up to my ear, into my hair before resting his forehead against mine again. My mind is clouded, fuzzy, fuelled with lust and something else. I close my eyes, inhaling his scent, and I am enthralled, my hands searching for something, but grasping the bed covers tightly.

"Do you want this, little Birdie?" Dark Ace breathes roughly, making my eyes flutter open.

I blink a few times, not answering him, my breathing coming short and fast and I swallow hard, gazing up into his bright crimson eyes.

A sly smile makes its way onto his face and his expression changes. "No. No, you don't," he states, and all of a sudden stands up and re-buttons his shirt quickly.

I lie there for a moment, trying to straighten my mind out and regain my clarity.

_What the fuck just happened?_

I push myself up off the bed and literally run to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me and stepping into the shower – clothes and all – and turn it on, letting the freezing water wash over me. I ball my hands into tight fists, my nails biting into my flesh. I feel sick, disgusting. I could never want that man, there has to be some kind of explanation for what that was.

Comforting, that's what it was, I needed to be comforted and it would have happened with anyone regardless of who they were. Yes, that is all it was. I just miss intimacy, and wanted to feel something. Yes, that would be it.

I groan swallowing back the bile that rises in my throat and hit the wall of the shower, making a loud thump. I could not feel more sickened with myself if I tried. Heaving a sigh, I slide down the wall and sit in the bottom of the shower, covering my face with my hands ashamedly.

What came over me out there? Maybe I should just pretend that it never happened. That seems to be the best option. Nothing happened, nothing at all.

There's a knock on the door, and then Dark Ace strides in, not even bothering to check if I'm decent.

"What the fuck are you doing?" I shriek at him.

He rolls his eyes and hold up some folded clothes. "And before you bite my head off about me walking in here, I know you still have your clothes on," he says simply before placing the clean clothes on the vanity and exiting.

I sit for a moment longer before reaching up and turning the shower off, pushing myself up off the floor and stripping out of my drenched clothes. Grabbing a towel, I dry myself slowly and get dressed, hanging my wet clothes where I can before exiting the bathroom.

Dark Ace is sitting at the tiny breakfast bar with two glasses of water – one obviously set out for me. Without looking at him, I stride over to the bed and grab two pillows, throwing them down onto the uncomfortable couch.

"You can have the bed," I mutter, and sink down, my damp hair making the pillow cold.

"Would you like a glass of water? I got one for you," Dark Ace says, appearing to be unaffected.

"Don't play nice, Talon, it will get you nowhere," I mutter icily.

"Are you sure you don't want the bed?" he asks, persisting with this annoying nice crap.

"You know what? I will take the bed actually. You're back on the couch," I hiss.

Standing up, I leave the pillows and stride over to the bed, flopping down and propping myself up against the headboard. I reach over and press a button on the remote, turning the television on. I don't take notice what program is on, but it's a good distraction.

"We'll have to be awake before dawn tomorrow, I suggest you get some sleep," Dark Ace states coolly.

"Whatever," I mutter, trying to ignore him.

I hear him sigh and he walks over, taking a seat on the bed beside me. Instantly, my body goes rigid – good, that's my normal reaction.

"Look, about before –"

"Nothing happened, and whatever it was, it won't happen again, sorry," I snap, cutting him off.

"Calm down. It would have happened sooner or later, we have been constantly around each other since you have been in Cyclonia."

"It wouldn't have happened at all if you didn't want to win that little head game, Talon," I hiss, shooting him a death stare.

"It wouldn't have happened if _you_ didn't want to win. As I recall it was _you_ who started undressing _me._"

I sit there, my mouth agape. Of course, it was my fault. What did I expect would bloody well happen? "Your point is moot. As I recall, it was _you _who approached _me_. _You_ laid _me_ down on the bed. So, don't put this all on me," I spit venomously.

"I am not laying blame on either one of us; I was simply pointing out the extent to which you were willing to go to make me flinch. You are one great little actress, you had me believing that you actually _wanted_ me to bed you."

_Oh, if only you knew._

"So, I won?" I ask, tilting my head to the side, playing along, agreeing that I was _acting._

"Not quite," he smirks.

"Oh, yes. My tantrum in the bathroom. Does it give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside, knowing that I just can't win head-games with you?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"You know what? It kind of does. But, you know what else?"

"What?"

"There is some kind of sexual tension between us, and I know you felt it. I know that is why you ran off and threw a little tantrum. And that is why I did not just rip your clothes off and fuck you," he states, keeping a straight face the entire time.

"Nice choice of words, Talon," I mutter. "There is nothing between us, it has been a long day, we're both tired and our little game just went a bit too far. End of," I utter, refusing to believe him.

A smirk replaces his nonchalance and he leans forward, his face only inches form mine. My breath hitches. "Oh yeah, there it is. You can deny it all you want, but eventually you will be _begging_ me to take you to bed," he growls.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I mutter hoarsely, ignoring the uncontrollable feeling raging inside me, trying to burst out.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock." He uses his index finger to imitate the swinging of a pendulum and I narrow my eyes at him.

"Only in your wildest dreams, Dark Ace. I would never sleep with a man like you. In fact, you are lucky I can even tolerate you after what you have done to me. The sooner I am away from you, the better," I breathe, glaring at him.

A low chuckle reverberates through his chest and he leans back, eyes still locked on me. "Oh, you are such a joy to anger. But alas, it makes me woeful that you should remain ireful towards me after how splendid we were getting along earlier," he says mockingly.

I roll my eyes at him and he smirks. "What is wrong with you? You're mood swings are worse than a pregnant women's. One moment you're all, 'oh, I'm going to kill you Sky Knight, because I'm Dark Ace and that makes me Badass' and then the next you're all like 'but don't worry because I am going to be nice to you but still let you know I hate you, but I don't hate you, but I do, but let's be friends'. You're giving me a damn headache!" I admonish, smacking my hands on the bed exasperatedly.

"Well, I – like you – have quite a temper, and you happen to find it quite a hobby infuriating me on a regular basis. It's somewhat refreshing, as no other will talk to me the way you do – without fear of death. I am civil towards you, not friendly. But that is as much of an answer I shall give you…at least until you admit you feel the tension," he smirks.

"For the last time, there is no tension. Get over yourself," I mutter.

"So quick to bite, such strong denial," he taunts.

I flash my aura out dangerously, but he ignores it, continuing to taunt me. I grit my teeth and scrunch my eyes shut for moment, attempting to keep cool. He wants me to snap, I know it. An idea hits me, a sick, twisted idea, but it might just work. I cringe inside just thinking about it, but if it makes him stop, it will be worth it.

"You seem so sure that there is sexual tension between us? Let me prove that there isn't," I growl.

In a flash, I grasp his shirt and pull him forward, capturing his mouth with mine, kissing him hard, without emotion. He's taken completely by surprise, but kisses me back, his lips moving roughly against mine, one of his hands reaching up into my hair and grasping it at my nape. After a moment, I push him away, my facial expression indifferent.

"See? There is absolutely nothing between us," I state, my tone impassive. But if I had of kept going something would have happened…I cannot let on, knowing that Dark Ace already knows that.

"That was quite unexpected. But I stand corrected. Now turn off that television, we need to sleep, it's already midnight."

I switch the television off and crawl under the covers, and watch as Dark Ace slinks over to the couch and picks up the pillows before walking back over to the bed.

"What do you think you are doing?" I ask, raising my eyebrows.

"Sleeping in the bed I paid for. You're welcome to sleep on the couch if you want," he replies, shrugging his shoulders.

"Fine. Just don't touch me, Talon," I mutter, and roll over.

I feel the depression of the mattress as he lies down beside me, and I try not to cringe.

"Goodnight, dear," he says and I hear the humour in his voice.

"Shut up and go to sleep," I mutter.

* * *

"Hey, little birdie, wake up." A soft voice is coaxing me from sleep and I try hard to not open my heavy eyes. "Little Birdie, rise and shine."

I stir, moving my head to the side, forcing back my wakefulness, grasping at the last thread of sleep.

"hmm?" I hum softly from the back of my throat when a soft hand brushes over my cheek.

"Hey." The soft voice continues to try and coax me awake and warm breath wafts over my face, forcing me deeper back into sleep.

"hmm." My voice is only slightly louder this time as what I think is a nose runs up my cheek, breathing warm breath onto me. _I just want to sleep for a little longer, please, whoever you are, just let me sleep._

"Wakey-wakey." The smooth voice says in a sing-song manner.

I feel the corners of my mouth turn up in a sleepy smile, and try this time to open my eyes, turning my head back to its original position.

"Just a bit longer," I mumble through my disoriented state.

"We have go soon, wake up," the voice whispers gently. I feel a nose running along mine and I smile again, this time successfully opening my eyes.

My initial reaction is calm, then a moment later, my eyes and mind become clear.

"What the hell are you doing?" I croak, glaring dangerously at Dark Ace, who is hovering over me, an expression I've never before seen on his face – kindness.

"Waking you up, what does it look like?" he smiles down at me…A real smile.

"Um, it looks like…Date rape, that's what it looks like," I hiss at him, his face only centimetres from mine.

He scowls at me before leaning in closer so that his nose touches mine. "Get up, we need to get going if we're to reach Terra Namor by nightfall," he whispers, then does something preposterous – he plants a soft kiss on my lips then jumps up before I can punch him.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yell, sitting up and sending a weak blast of energy towards him.

He must of have expected me to react this way, because he dodges it and grins at me when it hits the couch. I throw back the covers and stand up quickly, striding over to Dark Ace, my aura glowing dangerously. I back him up against the wall and put my hand around his throat, using my energy to overpower him.

"If you _ever_ touch me again, I will kill you," I growl, my voice sounding unlike my own – cold, evil, filled with hate.

"That's the spirit, now all you have to do is keep the same composure when we are negotiating with our friend," Dark Ace smiles at me.

"You-you…wanted me to almost kill you?" I ask incredulously.

"No, not kill me, I was merely testing you to see if you were up to this task," he shrugs.

"Don't do it again," I mutter and drop my hand, walking to the small kitchen to retrieve a glass of water.

I drain the glass and place my hand on the edge of the sink, leaning forward and taking a deep breath. I exhale slowly and close my eyes for a moment then stiffen when I feel _him_ standing behind me.

"Don't even think about it," I breathe, but I stay put.

"Think about what?" he asks in a silky voice that makes my skin crawl.

"You know what," I mutter, dragging in another deep breath.

He ignores me and wraps his right arm around my waist, leaning his face into my neck. My breath hitches, but I instantly regain my composure and ignore his touch.

"If you wish to make it to Terra Namor alive, I suggest you stop harassing me," I say, keeping my voice level.

"You weren't complaining when I was waking you, when you were leaning into my touch, drawn to me," he whispers against my neck, then grazes his teeth just below my ear. An involuntary shudder runs through me and I grasp the bench tighter, my knuckles turning white.

"Well I am complaining now, take your hands off me," I breathe, trying to keep my equilibrium.

_I hate you_; I repeat the thought in my head, blocking him out.

"That's quite a shame, little Birdie. I was enjoying feeling wanted," he croons into my ear.

_What?_ No, he's playing more head-games with me. I turn around and glare at him, my gaze stone cold.

"Stop with this. I do not want you; I hold no attraction for you. And I am most certainly not going to be playing any more head-games with you, Dark Ace," I state, narrowing my eyes.

He gazes down at me, humour etched into his expression, and sighs, leaning down close. "I think your anger is waning," he smirks.

"Oh no, I am far more experienced at holding in my anger than most," I mutter.

A contemplative look flits across his face then he grins again, leaning closer. Carefully he nudges my nose with his, before placing his lips upon mine, kissing me.

_No! not again, bad Talon! _

I do not flinch, I stand there, keeping my lips still, resisting the natural urge to kiss him back. I inhale through my nose and catch his scent, that sweet, disgusting, enthralling scent. The urge to close my eyes is overpowering, but I remain taciturn, waiting for him to get this stupid thing out of his system.

After a moment, he realizes that I am not going to reciprocate and a low growl escapes his throat before he pulls away and gazes at me.

"Are you quite done?" I ask, as if nothing happened.

"For now," he smirks.

"Get you're shit, Talon, go check out, I'll be waiting for you," I state, and push past him, making my way to the Switchblade across the parking lot.

Dark Ace is quick, and soon I see him striding across the parking lot towards me. I death stare him before taking a seat on the Switchblade and wait for him to jump on so we can just go. I cannot believe the disgusting audacity of this…man. I should report him to Cyclonis for sexual harassment.

_Ha, like that would do anything. Why would she take my word over her man-pet's word?_

"You ready?" Dark Ace asks as he throws a leg over the ride and sits down in front of me.

"Yes, let's just go," I mutter. There is no way that I am flying today; I want to keep this bastard where I can see him at all times.

How did I not realize it was him this morning? This asshole is the only person in the Atmos who calls me 'Little Birdie'. Best not to dwell, he was probably only doing it get a rise out of me, and boy did he. Lucky he is fast on his feet, otherwise he would have needed medical attention.

_You did know it was him; you just didn't want to admit it,_ the little dark voice whispers menacingly.

_No, no way. I will never have feelings for this man, not if all hell freezes over._

* * *

The day has passed uneventfully. A few times Dark Ace has tried to get me to take over, but I refused, not trusting him to sit behind me. In the distance, very far away, I can make out a small black dot – that must be Terra Namor. By the time we get there, the sun will have set and I will be a damn Popsicle again. However, that doesn't bother me, I'd rather freeze than have Dark Ace putting his hands all over me. A shudder runs through me when my mind drifts back to earlier this morning at the motel.

What the hell was he thinking? Why was he being nice? Making me angry cannot have been the only reason for him to do such a thing, could it?

The only way to avoid any accidents from now on is to not be in a confined space with him – I realize that now. For some reason, my body reacts to him in a strange way, yet my mind want's nothing to do with him. Maybe I should brush up on psychology, find out what is wrong with me. For now, I will not let my mind wander back to that incident. I will pretend that it didn't happen and was just a part of my usual dream. Yeah, that'll work.

Stifling a yawn, I lean back in the seat, and look ahead, watching as Terra Namor slowly grows larger, the closer we draw.

Finally, it is in full view, and Dark Ace takes the Switchblade down to land. We hit the ground hard just as the wings retract into the main frame and roll along for some distance before coming to a stop.

"It will be a quite a trek to where we are going, so I hope your shoes are good quality," Dark Ace says, pushing himself up off the ride and proffering his hand.

I contemplate whether I should take it or not, but he decides for me, grasping my hand and pulling me to my feet so forcefully, that I am pulled right into him.

"Watch yourself, Talon," I mutter when he begins to snake an arm around my waist.

"Sure you don't want one for good luck?" he asks, knowing that he is getting under my skin.

"I am quite sure," I hiss, stepping away from Dark ace and keeping my eyes trained on him. "I know that you are just trying to keep me mad, but I don't need to be, I will beat this poor guy senseless if you want me to, just stop harassing me."

"But I am having such pleasure, attempting to indulge in you, little Birdie, don't cut my fun short. It is a long trek, after all," he smirks.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is not going to be an enjoyable hike?"

"Oh, it will be quite joy…for me."

"Of course it will." I roll my eyes at him. "Well, let's get going."

Inclining his head towards a barely discernible path among the trees, Dark Ace gesture for me to follow. Grudgingly, I step forward, making sure to keep Dark Ace in front of me.

"Keep up, little Birdie, I don't want you to fall behind," he calls back over his shoulder.

"Of course you wouldn't Dark Ace," I mutter sardonically.

I fall into step beside him, occasionally glancing out of the corner of my eye to catch him smirking at me. I narrow my eyes at him and he chuckles down at me. Sighing, I continue onwards, straining my eyes to see in the obscurity. The path inclines as we amble on, and the trees become thicker, causing us to walk closer beside each other. Every now and then, his hand will brush mine, and I swear I hear him chuckle every time.

On the umpteenth time that his hand touches my own, I stop in my tracks, planting my feet firmly in the ground.

"What are you doing, little Birdie?" Dark Ace asks and turns around to face me.

"I'm not moving from this spot until you stop with this bullshit," I hiss, glaring at him, hoping he can see my deadly stare through the darkness.

"Stop being so grumpy, you're worse than me," he complains, and steps closer, making a grab for my wrist.

"Don't touch me," I spit, recoiling instantly.

I hear his exasperated sigh and he steps closer still, causing me to take a step back – stupid move – I lose my footing and stumble back over a fallen branch. My arms flail out in front of me, trying to stop myself from falling, and grasp something. Whatever it is, it doesn't stop my from falling – I've already started going down. My back hits the ground and the wind is knocked out of me as something heavy collapses on top of my chest.

"Fuck!" I hear Dark Ace exclaim next to my ear.

I try breathing, but it comes in painful, strangled huffs and my lungs begin to burn. My hands clutch at the dirt around me as I begin to panic. _Fuck, I can't breathe!_ I barely take notice that Dark Pushes himself off me, and pulls me in a sitting position.

"Hey, hey, hey. Calm Down. Just breathe," he says calmly.

_That's what I'm trying to do, dumbass!_

"Phoenix, look at me, you need to calm down or you're going to pass out," he scolds.

I look at him, his calm expression, but it does nothing, I still cannot breathe. My eyes widen further and I clutch at Dark Ace's jacket as he pulls me into his lap, stroking my hair.

"Shit. Alright, don't freak out. Just relax, you'll be fine in a minute," he says, remaining calm.

_He's right, I have to keep calm_.

My expression must still be manic, because Dark Ace leans his face in closer. "Listen to me, Phoenix, if you don't stop freaking out this is just going to last longer, okay?" he says in the calmest tone I have ever heard him use.

I nod my head, still gasping for breath. Finally, I feel my breathing returning to normal and I let go of his jacket, bringing one of my hands up to rub my chest. I swallow and take a deep slow breath, closing my eyes for a moment and resting my head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay now?" he asks, his tone back to normal.

I nod my head, feeling a dull pain in my back – must have landed on a rock or something. Dark Ace reaches up and brushes some of my hair off my face before sliding me off his lap and rising to his feet. Bending slightly, he reaches down and lifts me to my feet, brushing some of the dirt off me. I am still in a small state of shock but enough to not even care that he is touching me. An unsettled groan escapes my throat and I put my face in my hands, shaking my head slowly.

"Come on now, this little set back has costed us valuable time. We might have to camp out for the night," he mutters.

I hear him begin to walk, but I don't follow – I just stand there, wallowing in humiliation.

"Look, we have to get a move on," he urges.

"Just leave me for a moment," I mumble, suddenly feeling all emotional.

"Don't be stupid, I'm not leaving you alone out here," he states and begins to pace back towards me.

"I'm useless, I'll only cause more problems for you. Just leave, if you're lucky I might get eaten by a mutant bearcat," I utter quietly.

He sighs exasperatedly and removes his jacket, placing it around my shoulders. "What's brought this on all of a sudden?" he asks

"Nothing. I just…" my voice fades away, replaced with a dry sob. _What is wrong with me?_ Is it this forest? It looks so much like home…

"I'll set up camp then. I can tell you aren't going to be able to beat anybody in this mood you're in," Dark Ace mutters somewhat irately.

I watch as he disappears into the trees, and I sink to the ground, wrapping my arms around my knees, and resting my chin on them. Up until this point I haven't given much thought to what my task entails, but now that I am so close, it is starting to bother me…among other things. How can I hurt an innocent? That's not me, if i do this I will never be the same. I can feel, already, how self-loathing I am becoming and I haven't even done anything.

"What am I _doing_?" I groan quietly, hiding my face.

A few minutes later, I hear Dark Ace emerge from the trees and stride over to me.

"I found a good spot to set up camp, come on," he says, and pulls me to my feet. He leads me through the thick undergrowth of the forest and we emerge into a small clearing, nicely protected by a canopy. It looks good enough, the ground is even and covered in leaf litter from what I can make out in the darkness, and it seems quiet, so no chance of predators ripping our throats out while we sleep.

"Are you able to start a fire?" Dark Ace asks me.

"Um, yeah," I reply quietly.

"Good. Wait here for a moment."

Once again, he disappears, and re-emerges with a few heavy looking stones and some kindling. Dumping it all on the ground, he begins setting up what will be the campfire.

"All done, you just need to light it."

"Alright."

I walk over to the unlit fire and concentrate my energy on the dry wood. I can't even remember the last time – if at all – I used my powers to start a fire, but soon enough, it works, and the wood catches alight, starting out small, then growing to a nice size, perfect for keeping warm.

I see Dark Ace out of the corner of my eye, standing next to the fire - warming his hands, and I let out a sigh before pacing to a more obscure part of the clearing. Sliding my back down the trunk of a tree to the ground, I slide my arms into the sleeves of Dark Ace's jacket and pull it tight around me, trying to ignore the fact that it smells like him.

"Mind if I sit?"

Before I can reply, Dark Ace plonks his ass next to me. "What do you want? Going to lecture me about not being such a sook or something?" I ask, not looking at him.

"No, I was actually going to try and find out why you're mood suddenly shifted," he shrugs nonchalantly.

"Oh. Well, thank you for your concern, but you don't need to hear it," I mutter, picking up a twig and tracing through the dirt.

"_Well_, seeing as we are partners on this mission, don't you think I should know of any concerns you have that may hinder your performance?" he asks, placing his hands behind his head.

"Just leave it, Talon," I mutter, stretching out my legs and wrapping my arms around myself.

"Stop being so reserved and talk to me," he scolds.

"Fine you want to know what's wrong? I'm exhausted and confused, and you're not helping," I spit, pushing myself up off the ground and striding to the opposite side of the clearing.

Groaning, I smack my forehead against a tree.

"Stupid," I mutter, smacking my forehead again.

"You trying to give yourself brain damage?" Dark Ace asks from behind me.

"Leave me alone," I breathe.

Ignoring me, I hear Dark Ace step closer and fell his hand on my shoulder. I shudder under his touch, but make no attempt to stop him. "Not going to try and kill me for touching you?" he taunts.

"No," I sigh.

"Ruin all my fun," he snickers then turns me around to face him.

"Just do what you want, Talon. I don't care."

From the flickering light of the fire, I can see his expression falter for a moment. "What the hell has gotten into you?" he asks, apparently uneasy at my despondent mood.

"I don't know if I can do it. I'm not like you. I'm just a silly little Sky Knight who can't find anywhere to belong," I choke out, realizing this is true, and for so long, I just did not want to believe it.

"Come on, little Birdie, you belong in Cyclonia now. You're no Sky Knight – you gave up that title the second you decided to join," Dark Ace murmurs, looking right at me.

"Stop being nice, I don't like it," I whisper, looking away.

He sighs, and grasps my chin with his index finger and thumb, tilting my head to make me look at him. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Phoenix. You chose to do this, you can't just back out if you decide that this isn't the life for you," he admonishes, glaring at me.

Good, he's back to normal. Stepping away from him, I walk over and take a seat by the fire, removing his jacket. I'm going to have to suck it up and do as I'm told if I'm to have any chance of succeeding at my mission.

_You're developing feelings towards him_,that terrible dark voice whispers from the back of my mind.

_No, I am not! I hate him with every cell of my being._

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."

"What?" I ask, as Dark Ace takes a seat beside me.

"It's an ancient quote. Penny for them?"

"Penny for what?"

"Your thoughts, little Birdie."

I hang my head down and shake it slowly a few times before a hollow chuckle escapes my lugs. "I'm going mental. I thought that getting out of Cyclonia would be a good change, but it's only making me worse," I breathe. _And the fact that you keep being nice to me doesn't help at all_, I add on as an afterthought to myself.

"It's gets easier. You learn to deal with it. Just wait until Master Cyclonis starts making you kill people - that's when you _really_ think you're going insane," he chuckles.

"I can't wait," I mutter bitterly, fearing the day when I will have to take a life. "Why do you _always_ address her as _Master_? Even when she's nowhere near?"

"Because, she is the ruler of the Cyclonian Empire, I respect her on the basis that her Grandmother took me in, gave me a place that made me feel like I belonged," he shrugs, picking up his jacket off the ground, and draping it over my shoulders once more.

"Will I ever belong there?" I ask.

"Maybe. It all depend if you get through initiation."

"Ugh, I am so sick of hearing that word. I'll be able to do _this_ after initiation, I'll be able to _that_ after initiation, but I can't do _this_ before initiation," I complain.

"You know what we need?" Dark Ace asks, something of a grin on his face.

I cock my head to the side inquisitively.

"Marshmallows."

"What?" I ask surprised, and quite shocked. That was…random.

"Yeah. My dad took me camping when I was a kid and we roasted marshmallows," he says, grinning at the surprised expression on my face.

"Trips down memory lane, another thing I can add to my 'Things-The-Dark-Ace-Secretly-Likes-Doing' list." An involuntary smirk forces its way onto my mouth.

"Well, I'm not keeping _that_ a secret, it only happened once. We ate roasted marshmallows then some men jumped out of the bushes and slit his throat right in front of me. I think I was about five at the time." He says this as if he is talking about the weather and my mouth drops open.

_How could someone just talk about that like it's nothing?_

"I remember being scared at first, but then, I felt nothing. No sadness, no loss. I just found my way home. Turns out my mother was cheating on my father, and her lover didn't much like ol' dad, so he hired some guys to kill him. Mum was in on the whole thing too, and when I found out, I left and never looked back."

I feel like a goldfish. I keep opening my mouth to talk, but shut it when I can't think of anything.

"Actually, I guess I have been keeping it a secret – you're the only person I've ever told that to," he muses.

"Um. That's kind of fucked up," I mutter, shifting so that my right leg rests on my left and my left hand supports me.

"I guess it is, but it never really affected me in the sense of parental issues," he shrugs.

"After that you were never loved by anyone, were you?" I state rather than ask, knitting my brows together.

"I don't believe in such things, nor do I have time to find out if it exists."

"It exists. You just don't have the strength to knock down the walls around you, you're too caught up in ruining other people's lives trying to fix your own and you don't even realise it," I observe, unaware that tears are beginning to roll down my face. Angrily, I stand up and pace to the other side of the clearing, dashing the tears from my eyes, trying to rid the image of Dark Ace's expression from my mind. Initially it was shock, then something darker, emotional, pained even.

I may have just begun to break through his cold exterior. I know more about this man now than anybody else in the entire Atmos. I should talk to him, find out what he's thinking. Maybe if I scold him some more, he'll open up.

I turn on my heel, about to march right back over to him, and demand he talk, but collide with something. Dark Ace is standing right in front of me, I didn't even hear him behind me. _Stealthy bastard._

"Don't you dare lecture me about trying to fix my own life when that is exactly what you are doing, little Birdie," he growls down at me. "Who lost their parents? Who betrayed The Storm Hawks to join Cyclonia? You obviously know nothing of love either."

"I _have_ known love, and by god, I have felt heartbreak, you son of a bitch. So don't _you_ dare lecture _me_. You've been a lost boy all your life, you have _no idea_ how to love. You have no heart. You are just another Talon, doing his master's bidding day in day out, with no say in how to live your own life," I hiss dangerously.

His expression turns livid, and he pushes me against a tree, an arm resting on the trunk above my head and he leans his face close to my.

"And you live your own life, do you? You don't follow orders from anyone? All you have done is transitioned from one master to another. You are so sickened by the thought that you are just like me that you refuse to believe it," he snarls close to my face, his hot breath washing over me.

"No, I realize that I am like you. But only in the way of sequence of events, and even then, we are nothing alike," I state calmly, trying to gauge the anger in his eyes.

"You frustrate me like no other, Phoenix." He leans his forehead against mine, and sighs. "You remind me of myself and it agitates me," he growls.

"Ever thought of taking an anger management course?" I breathe, ignoring that pulling feeling in my chest.

My question elicits a hollow chuckle and he backs away from me, shaking his head slowly. "I fear you know too much about me."

"You know more about me than I know about you if it makes you feel any better," I mutter.

He steps closer again, until our bodies are touching. I expect the regular uneasy shudder, but it doesn't come; instead I feel relatively calm. Or maybe I'm just used to him invading my personal space now.

"When you were waking me up this morning, it was only to make me mad, wasn't it?" I ask, taking a deep breath.

"More or less," he breathes, angling his face closer to mine.

"And the constant invasion of my personal space?" I whisper hoarsely.

"Mhmm," he replies, edging closer still.

My heart rate increases, and my mouth goes dry. "And what you're doing now? You're trying to make me mad again?"

"Yeah," he growls softly, his lips brushing my own, making my breath hitch.

"It's not working," I croak out.

"Good."

Then his lips are on mine.

* * *

**So, what do you think? Just a little bit of a cliff-hanger here, just to keep you lot interested. :P**


	29. Augustus And Obsidian

**Not too sure about this chapter to be honest, but i hope you like it. I won't be uploading again for a while - I'm going on an Adventuuure! Not really. I'm just going to Rockhamtpon for a a couple of weeks. Read and Review you lovely people!**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine

I am no longer aware of my surroundings, what I am aware of, is a hand in my hair and a hand splayed across the small of my back – Dark Ace's hands. His lips are moving against mine, and mine against his. My body is overheating from his touch, and I feel like pulling away from him, not wanting this to go any further.

It's been established in my mind that no matter what I do, this would have happened eventually, making what Dark Ace said in the motel room, true. I don't want to do this – but I can't stop myself. My body is defying my mind, and my mind is nowhere to be found.

"No," I whisper against his lips and turn my head away.

"I thought you wanted this," Dark Ace breathes, pulling away.

"I don't know," I mumble, a lump forming in my throat. I am so confused – this man destroyed everything, and now I'm finding comfort in his arms. It's just not right.

"Well, you should make up your mind before you do something you regret," he whispers, his voice low, husky, and oh-so-seductive.

I take a shuddering breath, and feel the dams about to burst. I sink to the ground, out of his grasp and hug myself, trying not to cry. Dark Ace lowers himself down beside me and takes me in his arms, holding me to him.

"I hate you so much," I choke out, in a weird strangled sob.

"Shhh, I know, I know," he murmurs softly, stroking my hair. "I don't particularly like you either," he breathes as his arms tighten around me.

I lean my head on his shoulder and bring my knees up, close to my chest as I begin to sob. Angrily, I hit his chest a few times. Finally, his hand captures my wrist in mid-air, preventing me from hitting him again, and brings it to his mouth, kissing each of my knuckles.

"I hate you so much," I repeat, my voice quivering softly.

_What is becoming of me? _

"Get it all out of your system, you'll feel better afterwards," he says softly.

"You killed my parents, you helped kill my best friend, you helped destroy my home. You're nice to me, then you're mean to me, you give off mixed signals. I'm drawn to you on some elemental level, I hate you. I just hate you. I hate myself. I fucking hate you, Dark Ace, and I want to feel you. I want to feel you and I hate myself for it. And I know deep down inside that if I wanted you, you would never want me, and I hate it. I hate you, I hate myself. I wish you were dead. You ruined my life, and I want you. I fucking hate you so much," I blurt out, making hardly any sense, but I don't care. I feel better now, knowing that it's out in the open, being carried away by the wind.

Something is getting to me, making feel like this – like I'm crazy.

"Is that everything?" Dark Ace asks, still holding me.

_No, there is so much more, but you will never know._

"More or less," I mumble, drying my eyes and sitting up, out of his grasp.

"I apologize for putting you in that situation. It will not happen again," Dark Ace mutters, pushing himself up off the ground.

"I feel woozy," I breath, doubling over all of a sudden.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, I lay myself down. Great! Not only do I feel crazy, but also I feel sick too. This just has not been my day at all.

"You're not going to be sick are you?"

"I don't know. I feel…strange. Please tell me that you brought a med kit," I groan.

"Yes, but there is nothing in there for _strange_." He kneels beside me, eyeing me for a moment.

I groan and curl up, feeling worse with each passing second. "What's wrong with me?"

Dark Ace reaches his hand out and feels my forehead. His hand is nice and cool. "You're burning up, little Birdie."

Cold grasps me, making me shiver all over. My teeth chatter and the nausea grows stronger. _I can't let him see me vomit_. Hauling myself to my feet, I push past Dark Ace, into the trees, the feeling intensifying. When I am a safe distance from him, I relax a little, drawing in a deep breath.

Groaning again, I clutch my sides and retch a few times. _Good, maybe I won't spew after all._ As soon as the thought comes to mind, by body is wracked as I begin throwing up. _Disgusting!_

"Don't be running off like that," Dark Ace scolds from beside me, as he grasps my hair in one of his hands, and rubs my back with the other. _How can he be so quiet?_

Finally, I stop spewing, dry retching a few times before regaining my composure. "My head hurts," I whisper.

"Come on, lay down by the fire. We need to get you warmed up." With that, Dark Ace wraps an arm around my waist and leads me back through the trees to the camp, placing me on the ground.

Curling up on the ground, I feel my shirt rise up my back, but cannot be bothered to fix it.

"Phoenix, what's that?"

"What's what?" I mumble, feeling like I am going to pass out.

"You've got a scratch on your back. It must have happened when you feel earlier. Let me have a look at it," Dark Ace says. I feel him lean down behind me, and hear him gasp.

"What?" I ask, barely able to move.

"Okay. Now, please don't freak out, but I think you might be poisoned," he says calmly.

My eyes bulge and I sit up instantly, face to face with him. "Poisoned?"

"I said don't freak out, it will only get through your system faster. Don't worry, I know what it is, and there's a plant around here that acts as an antidote," he says. How can he remain calm?

"What poisoned me?" I whisper horrified, my face only centimetres from his.

"The Mania Bush. That would explain your crazy mood change, your emotional breakdown just before. Once those symptoms have passed it releases a toxin into the blood stream, causing flu-like symptoms. After that, if you pass out…you kind of die," he shrugs.

"I'm going to die?" I shriek, grasping at the lapels of his jacket.

"Calm down. Panicking will do you no good. Now, I saw Namorian Deathshade plant on our way here–"

"Namorian Deathshade? That sounds even more deadly!" I shriek.

Dark Ace grabs my wrists, holding them firmly. "No panicking. Names are deceiving. I'm going to go find that plant, so you stay here and try not to pass out. Please, don't die - Master Cyclonis will have my neck if you do."

With that, he stands up, letting go of my wrists and disappearing through the trees into the darkness.

"Okay, don't fall asleep," I mutter to myself. My heart rate increases and my already light head becomes lighter. If I stay on the ground in front of the fire, I will definitely pass out, so I stand up and pace – pace for my life.

My concept of time is somewhat blurry, but I am guessing that Dark Ace has been gone for about ten-fifteen minutes. I am still pacing around the clearing.

_At least I'm not going as crazy as I thought. All of that was because I am poisoned. _

It's a relief in realizing that I hold no attraction for Dark Ace, it was just the toxins making me go crazy.

"Come on, Talon, where are you?" I ask the air.

Suddenly, my knees buckle and I hit the ground hard. My limbs are weak, and I can barely push myself off the ground, but I do, reaching my feet and beginning to pace again. _That's not good._

My breathing is becoming shallow and my eyes are beginning to droop. _Please, hurry up_. If only I knew how to use my energy for poisoning – I can only heal wounds. Corvus would be able to do it…

I stop pacing, unable to move my feet any more, and my knees buckle once again, only this time I have no strength to push myself back up.

No! Dark Ace is too late. This is it… My vision begins to blur and all I see is the fire. I close my eyes, prepared for the end.

"Phoenix! Don't you dare close your eyes!" Dark Ace's voice breaks through the buzzing in my head and my eyes open just a crack to see him more or less sprinting towards me and skidding to a stop by my side.

"Dark Ace…You're too late," I whisper, barely able to talk.

"No, it's alright. Chew on this," he says calmly.

Holding a weird tendril looking leaf in front of my face, he pulls me up so that I am in a sitting position. I feel my eyes closing again, but try hard to keep them open. My head, it hurts. My limbs, they feel like jelly.

"Phoenix, listen. You have to chew on this otherwise you will die," Dark Ace scolds, and shuffles around so that I'm leaning back onto him for support.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Dark ace practically shoves the leaf into my mouth. I nearly spit it out – it tastes absolutely revolting.

"Chew," he commands.

I do as he says and begin chewing, retching at the taste.

"Don't swallow the leaf, just the extract," I hear him murmur, but his voice sounds distant as my eyes flutter closed.

"Thanks…for…trying," I manage to breathe just before I lose consciousness.

* * *

"_She's unconscious, but still breathing."_

"_How long has she been unconscious, Dark Ace?"_

"_Since last night, I'd guess for around thirteen hours."_

"_Tell me what happened."_

"_She tripped and fell backwards onto a branch of Mania Bush."_

"_I see. How long until you noticed that she was poisoned?"_

"_Not until after the toxins would have been released into her bloodstream."_

"_And you administered the antidote?"_

"_Yes Master…I'm not…I'm not sure if I made it on time."_

"_You sound… vexed, Dark Ace. May I enquire as to why?"_

"_Indeed. I do not want to be responsible for the death of this woman, Master. I know she is an integral piece to your disposition, and I do not wish to jeopardize it."_

"_Very well. Report back to me when she wakes. Oh, and Dark Ace, if she happens to die, you will suffer my wrath."_

"_Yes master."_

* * *

My head…my head hurts; it is pounding, buzzing. I cannot open my eyes, they are too heavy. Bits and pieces of conversations linger on my fuzzy consciousness, slipping away each time I make a grasp to remember. I am barely aware of the stabbing pain in my stomach and the heat that grips me all over. If this is death, I do not like it one bit.

_Why does it feel like I'm moving?_

"_Come on little Birdie, wake up._" Dark Ace's voice flutters vaguely through my mind, making me stir.

_Okay, so I'm still alive._

"_Fuck, just wake up!_" I become aware that Dark Ace is holding me, rocking me back and forth. "_Stupid woman, wake up!_"

"If I wake up, will you stop touching me?" I croak, my voice only just above a hoarse whisper. Trying hard, I manage to open my eyes a crack and squint in the light shining through the trees.

"Thank fuck. I thought I was too late. Master Cyclonis would have killed me," he breathes, obviously relieved.

Slowly, my eyes begin to focus and my gaze is met with Dark Ace, glaring down at me. "Hi," I mumble, withering under his cold stare.

"Hi yourself. Don't ever pull that shit again," he mutters icily, sliding out from beneath me and standing up, pulling me to my feet along with him.

I wobble slightly, but regain my equilibrium, standing straight when he lets go of me.

"It's good to see you back to normal," I mumble, my throat feeling like sandpaper.

Is it me, or does it feel like we are standing in an oven? Taking a deep breath, I reach up, wipe the sheen of sweat from my forehead, and push back the nauseas feeling in my stomach.

"You need to eat and drink something. Here." Dark Ace hands me a flask of water and what appears to be fruit from a duffle bag. I don't remember that being with us last night.

Taking the water and fruit, I sink back onto the ground and open the flask, drinking it down thirstily.

"Wait here, I need to report to Master Cyclonis that you are now awake."

I nod my head in reply, beginning to devour the piece of fruit, watching Dark Ace pull a message crystal from his pocket before disappearing into the trees.

When I'm finished eating and drinking, my stomach is hurting less, and my temperature has gone down.

"I feel like shit," I mumble to myself quietly, brushing some leaves out of my messy hair.

Through the trees, I can hear Dark Ace's voice, but cannot quite make out what he is saying. Standing up, I stride over to the bag and rummage through it, trying to find a brush. I manage to find a comb - it must be Dark Ace's. Shrugging, I begin running it through my hair, attempting to get the knots out.

After the long, tiring process of brushing my hair witch a comb, I notice Dark Ace watching me as I wrap my hair around itself on top of my head, hoping it stays in place without a hair-tie.

"The Master seems to believe that you will be fine. Come along."

"Dark Ace…Wait for a moment," I call as he begins to stride off.

"What is it?" he asks agitatedly.

"Um…Thank you…for not letting me die," I mutter quietly.

"You're welcome, now can we get a move on? We are too far behind schedule."

I nod, picking up the bag and falling into step with him as we make our way back through the trees and along the narrow path. I feel so exhausted, but I don't want to show any more weakness than I already have. Soon, I'm all out of breath and panting, but I push on. Dark Ace either doesn't realize or is too annoyed to even ask if I am struggling, but I don't mind – I prefer him when he's being an asshole.

I'd guess it's been about an hour since we started walking, and by now, I keep lagging behind, trying to keep up. _I will show no weakness._ I repeat the thought - it keeps me pushing on. My breath is coming short and fast, and my muscles are burning all over.

"Keep up, Phoenix," Dark Ace calls over his shoulder a little ways up the path.

"Yeah...okay," I manage to pant out, groaning as I force my legs to continue forward. I catch up with Dark Ace and stop for a moment, trying to catch my breath. "I feel so damn unfit, is it because of the poison?"

"Yes. You will feel off for a few days, but nothing too drastic," he replies.

I nod my head, still catching my breath. My hands are on my knees as I heave air into my lungs.

"You're shattered, aren't you?" he asks, his voice somewhat kinder than before.

I nod my head, standing straight again. "We should keep going," I breathe quietly, and set off once again. I hear dark Ace following behind, then he grabs the bag out of my hands.

"Let me carry that, it looks like you're flat out carrying yourself."

"Thanks."

Soon, we reach to peak of the hill and we're overlooking a beautiful valley, dotted with random houses here and there. Behind me, I hear a soft caw and turn around to see Dark Ace with his sword, energy crackling around the blade, about to send a blast towards a large black bird. Quickly, I knock his arm down.

"What the hell are you doing?" I scold.

"That stupid crow has been following us all damn morning," he states irately.

"Do you even know what kind of bird that is?" I ask, gazing at it in awe.

"No, please enlighten me," Dark Ace rolls his eyes.

I gaze at the crow a moment longer, its shiny black feathers, piercing blue inquisitive eyes. "That isn't just any crow, Talon. That is a Namorian Omen Crow. I read about these in that book you lent me. Give me the bag."

Furrowing his brows, Dark Ace hands over the bag and I rummage through it, pulling out the flask. I unscrew the shiny metal cap and hold it in my outstretched palm towards the crow.

"What are you doing, little Birdie?" Dark Ace asks exasperatedly.

"Crows like shiny things – I'm showing it that we mean no harm to him," I reply, watching the crow hop from branch to branch, closer to me, eyeing the flask cap in my hand with curiosity.

"It's just a stupid bird, why bother?"

"They aren't stupid, Dark Ace. They are among the most intelligent animals in the Atmos. Do you know how lucky we are to even have seen one, these little guys are going extinct," I scold.

"This is fucking ridiculous," I hear him mutter under his breath.

Rolling my eyes at him, I continue watching the crow as it, very slowly, comes forward, and in a sudden, lands on my arm, it's sharp claws digging into my flesh. I suck in a breath through my teeth to keep from gasping in pain and scaring the crow. It caws softly and takes the flask cap in its beak, and then turns its head to gaze at me.

"You will probably get bird lice from that thing," Dark Ace mutters.

"Shut up Talon," I scoff. "I think he likes me," I say when the crow gives a soft caw and looks right into my eyes.

"I think _he_ wants food. Crows are scavengers, now stop playing with it and come along."

"Namorian Omen Crows sometimes choose a human to bond to. It's an uncommon occurrence, but it's been known to happen. If this crow likes me, or even you, he'll stick around forever."

"Wonderful."

The crow once again caws softly and places the flask cap back in my hand before bending its head under its wing and retrieving a long black feather, placing it next to the cap. I eye the feather for a moment before gasping in awe.

"What's it doing now?" Dark Ace asks agitatedly.

"Bonding to me," I whisper, trying to sound nonchalant. This is amazing, what a beautiful animal and it has chosen me to be its human familiar.

"You have got to be shitting me."

"No, this crow sees something that it likes about me, so now you're going to have to put up with him _and_ me," I smile, knowing that this will agitate Dark Ace so much.

"I cannot believe this. This whole trip you have been setting us back, and now you've got a pet to slow us down even more."

"Not a pet, Talon, a familiar. Just give me a second, then we can get going again," I mutter.

The crow has the flask cap in its – his, I'm pretty sure it's a he – his beak, and is eyeing me inquisitively again.

"If you're going to be sticking around, I'm going to have to name you. But first, there is something important I have to do," I say quietly to him.

I am surprised when the crow blinks slowly and flutters up onto a low branch, looking at me knowingly.

"Are you done, can we go now?" Dark Ace growls.

"Yes, don't kill my crow," I state.

Sighing, Dark Ace picks up the bag and takes the lead as we begin to descend the steep slope into the valley.

* * *

"This is the place," Dark Ace states as we approach a small chalet looking house. I look around and spot the crow perched knowingly on the fence.

The house appears to be made out of white stone and has a paved path leading to the door with flowerbeds either side. We make our way up the path and Dark Ace knocks firmly on the door three times. I hear shuffling from behind the door, and then it opens a crack, revealing a short middle-age man who blanches when he lays eyes upon Dark Ace.

"So, you're back. Are you going to kill me?" The man asks rather jadedly.

"That depends, Augustus, on your answer to Master Cyclonis' proposition," Dark Ace replies complacently before forcing his way through the door.

"Well come right in," Augustus mutters.

I follow Dark Ace into the house, avoiding eye contact with Augustus, knowing that I will be the one beating the shit out of him.

"Take a seat, Augustus, let's discuss Master Cyclonis' proposition like gentlemen," Dark Ace says and points to what appears to be a dining chair.

We walk through an archway into the kitchen, and Dark Ace pushes Augustus down into a chair before pulling up a seat for himself. Dark Ace leans back, crossing his left leg over his right, and rests an arm on the table, strumming his fingers on the light wood.

"Phoenix, pull up a chair, we might be here for a while," Dark Ace says, keeping his gaze locked on the man in front of him.

I do as I'm told and pull a chair over and sit beside Dark Ace, placing my hands in my lap, looking about nervously.

"You can talk until your gums bleed, I will not agree to anything that wretched woman offers," Augustus states defiantly.

"Now, that just won't do. You know that Master Cyclonis always gets what she wants. Phoenix here is a perfect example," Dark Ace gestures towards me and I look down. "We had to destroy her entire Terra before she decided to leave the Storm Hawks and come to Cyclonia, but therein lies my point. You will comply or suffer," Dark Ace finishes, speaking as if he was discussing a menu or something.

Did he really need to include that little detail about me? I gaze at him icily for a moment before glancing up at Augustus, who has his arms crossed over his chest, eyeing Dark Ace distastefully.

"You brought a traitor of the Atmos along with you to try and convince me?" Augustus raises his eyebrows before moving his distasteful gaze to me, a brief look of sympathy in his eyes. "A traitor who longs to be free of the authoritarian reign of Cyclonia."

I feel my eyes bulge for a moment…_I am an open book to this man. _

Crossing my leg, I mimic Dark Ace and lean back in the chair. "No, sir. I joined Cyclonia out of choice. Although I may find Master Cyclonis disconcerting at times, I am humbly at her service, and she rules with a great iron fist. And I – like her – do not suffer fools gladly," I state calmly, feeling sick at the words that have just tumbled out of my mouth.

"That is quite a shame, young one. Many people throughout the Atmos know the story of your troubling last few years. Quite a shame."

"No, what is a shame is the fate of anyone who dares cross me and defy Master Cyclonis," I utter quietly, keeping my gaze steady.

Augustus closes his eye for a brief second and opens them to gaze at Dark Ace. "You have ruined this woman – her soul is empty and her heart will turn as black as yours," he says, a hint of sadness in his tone.

"That's lovely. Now will you agree to what Master Cyclonis has offered you?" Dark Ace mutters exasperatedly.

"There is no offer, only demand. I do not bend so freely to the will of others, especially those who oppress without reason. My final answer is no. And you can tell your master to leave my people alone."

"Sorry, wrong answer," Dark Ace whispers, and I hear the smirk in his words.

_What does Cyclonis want with this guy anyway? He seems…average._

"Our opinion of right and wrong differs greatly…Damyan."

_Wait…what?!_

"I think that is enough chatting for now. Phoenix, why don't you try to get an answer from this old man," Dark Ace says, and his eyes…his eyes are absolutely livid, dangerous, and for the first time, I am actually scared of Dark Ace.

I question him with my eyes and he gives me a minute nod. Standing up, I swallow and take a step towards Augustus, who now looks a little more intimidated. I glance back at Dark Ace who sighs, stands up and without warning, punches the man right in the stomach.

"Like that, little Birdie," he says and sits back down. I cringe and wait for the man to recover, keeping my eyes on Dark Ace, who is now rummaging through the bag. He pulls out a length of coiled rope and hands it to me. "Tie him up, Phoenix, I need to talk to you in private for a moment, and I don't want this old man escaping."

I nod and begin to wrap the rope around Augustus, making sure it is tight before tying it off behind him. Checking that his bonds are tight enough, Dark Ace takes my hand and leads me back into the living room out of the kitchen.

As soon as we are out of earshot, I turn and gaze at him, my mouth open.

"Damyan? Is that your real name?" I ask in raised whisper.

Completely ignoring my question, he leans in close. "Listen, Master Cyclonis would prefer that this man say yes, but if he doesn't, I am to kill him. Now your job is to make him agree, but he is a stubborn old fool, and will most likely end up dead. You have to give him the choice, Phoenix."

"What does Cyclonis want with him anyway?" I ask.

"That is not your business, little Birdie. Now, You might have to use various techniques – your powers, what can you do with them?"

"Um…I've never used them for brutalization before," I murmur.

"What about self-defence?"

"Burning, typical energy blasts, I don't know," I reply, shrugging my shoulders.

"I suppose that will do. And you can control the level of Energy produced?"

"Yes."

"Good. Let's begin."

I follow him back into the kitchen where Augustus is sitting in the chair, whistling to himself, a happy tune.

_Strange old coot_, I think to myself.

"Augustus, this is the part where you agree and we go on our merry way," Dark Ace says, slapping the man on his back rather hard.

"I will die before serving that wretched Empire," he replies arrogantly.

Turning to me, Dark Ace inclines his head towards Augustus and I step in front of him, taking a deep breath before striking his face with a closed fist. He groans in pain, and spits blood onto the floor, eyeing me with that same sympathetic look, making me feel like the worst human being in the Atmos.

"Dear girl, this is not who you are. You should leave before your heart becomes as black as Damyan's," he says softly.

"You know nothing of me, old man," I hiss, trying to sound as intimidating as I can, before striking him again, this time on the opposite side of the face.

Dark Ace pulls up a chair and turns it around, sitting on it backwards, his arms resting lazily along the back of it, of my fist connects with the man's stomach.

"I know more than you might think, sweet girl," Augustus says, keeping his tone calm and soft.

He's trying to make my cover slip. Sighing, I pull up a chair, and mimic the way Dark Ace is sitting in his, letting my arms dangle over the edge in front of me. "Augustus, you have two choices here. Your first choice being that you agree to our Master's offer and your second choice being that you die. If I were you, I would choose wisely," I whisper dangerously quiet.

He looks at me with those sad, sympathetic eyes, and it angers me – it angers me that he won't just say yes to spare his own life, it angers me that he knows something about me and I don't know how. It angers me that he is going to let Dark Ace kill him without so much as a fight. My aura flashes red and swirls around me, causing Augustus to smile in awe, which angers me further.

"Decide your fate, you stupid fool," I hiss, throwing my chair out of the way and punching him square in the face, breaking his nose and wincing when I hear the breaking of cartilage and bone. I pull my hand away and my knuckles shine with fresh, warm blood, and for some reason I want to do it again. Just as I pull my arm back to strike, Dark Ace grabs my wrist. I whip my head around to give him a questioning glance and he just shakes his head a few times. I feel my heart pounding in my chest, harder than it ever has before and I rip my arm free of Dark Ace's grasp, swinging my fist upwards to connect with Augustus' underjaw. I hear his teeth clash together from the force of my punch and blood pours out of his mouth, mixing with the blood from his nose.

"Phoenix, give it a rest for a little bit," Dark Ace murmurs quietly in my ear so only I can hear him, grasping both of my hands in his, and guiding me back out into the living room.

"Why did you stop me, I thought that was what I'm supposed to be doing?" I breathe, my voice unusually dark.

"It is, but you cannot get carried away like that. We want him to give us an answer before we kill him, little Birdie. Control yourself," Dark Ace whispers.

I blink a few times and shake my head. _What came over me?_ I must exercise caution from now on, I don't want to be responsible for any more deaths than I already am.

"What now?" I ask quietly.

"Now we go back in there and get his answer. After the beating you have given him, if he is still reluctant to agree, than I am going to kill him. If it comes to that, you may leave the room if you wish."

"Right. Let's go get our answer," I mutter, my mouth going dry.

Once again, we make our way back to Augustus, all bloodied and bruised, breathing heavily through his mouth. The scent of blood in the air almost makes me gag as I approach him, picking up the chair that I threw across the room earlier.

"This is your final chance to give us what we want," I say quietly, begging him with my eyes to just stop this fearlessness, to save his own life. "What is your answer?"

Sighing contentedly, he blinks bruised eyes at me a few times and shakes his head. "You are loyal, I admire that," he says, then turns to Dark Ace. "Damyan, why do you do this?"

In a flash, Dark Ace is behind the man, his sword drawn at his throat.

Before I can say or do anything to stop him, I see the flash of metal and everything slows down. The blade is dragging across Augustus' throat, severing his jugular, going even deeper than that. Blood squirts across the room, going everywhere. And I feel it, hot, thick, running down my face, between my breasts, all over me. I see the gory gaping wound across the dying man's throat. I hear the strangled gurgling sounds of him fighting to take a breath, with lungs filled with blood, the sound that still lingers in my mind from seeing this happening to my parents, and suddenly I hear screaming, high-pitched, blood-curdling screaming. It hurts my ears, and only a moment later do I realize that it is coming from my own lungs.

Dragging in short, quick breaths of blood-scented air, I begin hyperventilating and collapse against the table, my eyes locked onto Augustus' almost lifeless form, blood still spilling out from the gruesome wound on his neck. It's all over me, this man's blood, and my body begins to shake violently. My gaze travels up to Dark Ace, who stands with his blade glazed in blood, and a dangerous, evil look in his eyes.

Time seems to have gone back to normal, and Dark Ace is now wiping the blade of his sword clean on the snow-white kitchen curtains. I'm still shaking and I retch when the dead man's body continues to twitch for a few moments before going completely still.

Dark Ace strides over and scoops me up in his arms, before walking down the hall to find the bathroom. When he locates it, he carries me inside, runs the shower and places me on my unsteady feet. He fiddles with the water temperature for a moment before turning back to me, making clear what he is going to do. When his hands fumble at the top button of my shirt, I smack them, away, recoiling completely from his touch.

"Leave my clothes," I choke out, blood seeping into my mouth.

"Fine. Get in the shower then," he demands.

I don't move – I can't move, I'm frozen to the spot, still shaking. Dark Ace sighs, pulls me into the shower and angles the showerhead so the water runs mostly over me. My eyes fall over his shirt and notice that there is a fair amount of blood on him, probably from carrying me.

"Is showering with your clothes on going to become a usual habit, little Birdie?" he asks me with the audacity to have a hint of humour in his voice.

I gaze at him, blinking water out of my eyes then hang my head down unable to look at him any longer.

"Come here, Phoenix," he murmurs, then pulls me to him, sinking to sit in the bottom of the shower. "You are going to have to get used to things like this, little Birdie," he whispers, and strokes my hair.

I don't even care that he's touching me, I need some kind of comfort after that and I don't mind that it is him holding me.

"You killed him just for calling you Damyan," I whisper, my heart still pounding.

I feel Dark Ace shift uncomfortably when I say that name. "Don't," he mutters icily.

I decide not to push on about the name thing, continuing to sit with my back nestled against his chest. He's surprisingly comfortable, but I hope that this doesn't become a regular occurrence. When I begin going numb, I decide to push myself up off the floor, offering my hand to Dark Ace, who takes it, pulling himself up. He grunts his thanks and checks to see if he is clean before stepping out and tracking water across the bathroom in search of a towel. Locating one, he then proceeds to strip off.

Gasping, I turn away quickly, keeping my face under the water and hear Dark Ace scoff. "It's safe to look, I'm decent," he states, and I hear him padding back towards me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him hang a towel on the towel rack for me before exiting the bathroom. He returns a minute or two later with the duffle bag and places it on the vanity before rummaging through it and pulling out a change of clothes for himself. He gets dressed quickly and leaves the bathroom once more, so I feel it safe to get out of the shower. I peel my wet clothes from my body and wrap the towel around me tightly as I pad over to the duffle bag and pull out my clothes from the other day. Drying myself quickly, I get changed and gaze at my reflection in the steamy mirror.

"Look at you," I mutter disgustedly as I glare at my reflection. My skin is more pale than it has ever been, my eyes have dark circles under them and my mouth no longer holds a small natural smile, instead a grim line. Shaking my head, I gather up the bag and leave the bathroom.

I take a deep breath before walking back through the kitchen, trying not to look at the lifeless form of Augustus slumped in the chair. No matter where my eyes look, there is blood to be seen. I hear my footsteps squelch as I walk through the pool of blood covering the linoleum floor and the only thing I can think of is thank the Atmos I am wearing my boots…

Dark Ace is waiting for me by the front door in the living room. "How are you feeling?" he asks.

"Well, besides the fact that I just watched you slit that man's throat for no reason at all, I'm perfectly fine, Dark Ace," I mutter, lacing my tone with acerbity.

"Don't act like it's the first time you have seen me do that," he rolls his eyes at me.

"You are a complete asshole," I mumble, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Let's get going, you need to have a long rest after these last couple of days."

Sighing, I look back over my shoulder to see bloodied footprints staining the carpet before walking out the door. The crow is still perched on the little white fence and when it sees me, flies over to land on my shoulder.

"Can't you leave that stupid bird here?"

"No, I can't. He's my familiar and will stay with me until either I or he dies, so deal with it."

* * *

We make it back to the Switchblade and I ask Dark Ace if I can borrow his jacket. Taking it off he hands it too me, eyeing my crow distastefully. I give him a petulant stare before shrugging on the jacket and taking a seat on the ride. On the trek back, I decided on a name for my new pet.

"Do you really need to bring that thing with you?" Dark Ace asks irately.

"His name is Obsidian, and _yes_ he is coming with us," I shoot back, feeling the need to defend my new feathered friend.

Obsidian flutters down from a branch and lands on my leg, nestling himself close to me in the jacket.

With one last look of annoyance, Dark Ace takes a seat on the ride and soon we're off, making our long way back to Cyclonia.


End file.
